Blood
by Teacher Yumi
Summary: AU. Sachiko thirsts for sweet innocent Yumi's blood.
1. Prologue

**BLOOD**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters are not mine. I am simply borrowing from Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** This is my first fanfiction in this genre (supernatural). I was inspired when I watched _Diabolik Lovers_ , but trust that the storyline of **Blood** will be different from that anime. If you find this story interesting, please do leave a comment, if not, then I totally respect that and I wouldn't force you to read it ^^.

Now I know the title is a bit of a cliché, but right now, I think this best describes what this story will be about. But if I do think of something better, then I might change it.

And I think I might warn you in advance that it would take a while (4 chapters to be exact) until you get to the part about Yumi and Sachiko. But please bear with me because I need to properly paint a picture of their 'universe' where the story takes place, and at the same time, properly introduce the characters.

* * *

 **Prologue**

\- - o 0 o - -

It was a cold afternoon. Dark clouds loomed overhead and she was filled with an anxious feeling. Not a good sign on her first day in the city. But looking around, it was far from the image of what she had expected Tokyo to look like. She seemed to be in the outskirts of the city, the street was lined with tall imposing walls, hiding the houses from view.

The cab stopped in front of a gate. The driver rolled down his window and peeked outside, and so did Yumi. And the moment that she did, a mechanical sound reached her ears and the gate swung open.

"It's automatic" the driver said upon seeing the confused look on her face reflected on the rearview mirror.

The cab entered the compound. Inside were rows of trees and bushes that gives off a feeling of quiet solitude. It felt like she was in the middle of the forest. A forest she had been forbidden to enter by her grandmother because the big bad wolf was likely to eat her. Yes, Yumi felt like she was little red riding hood, about to be eaten by the big bad wolf. But in her case, it hadn't been her grandmother, but more like her guardians, who sent her here.

The car soon pulled over. She swallowed down her nervousness as she stepped out of the vehicle and looked ahead. In front of her was a vast manor. It would have looked elegant and grand if it were not for the eerie feeling it gave off, and the nimbus clouds covering the afternoon sun, was making everything look much more ominous. Floor to ceiling glass windows covered the front of both the first and second floor, but with its curtains drawn, the house appeared to be uninhabited. The house was filled with ornate details, but instead of beautifying the house, it gave off a spookier feel.

"Are you sure we're in the right place, mister?" she asked the cabby, who was standing beside her, carrying her luggage that had just been unloaded from the trunk.

"Yes miss. This is the exact address written on the paper you gave me." The man, appearing to be in his mid-forties, answered. "But I can understand. This place seemed deserted."

She turned around and took her bag from the man.

"If you want, I can take you back to the train station. It looks as if you are not from around here and I don't think it is safe if I just leave you at a place like this." The man sincerely said.

She looked at the house again. With its stone walls and archaic architecture, it seemed like it has been cut out from an old fairy tale book. Like a small castle in the middle of the woods that had been abandoned. The only sign that people actually lived in this house, were the well-kept plants that surrounded the area.

 _Probably a gardener comes by once in a while._ She thought.

"Thank you for the offer, mister. But I will be fine." She said as she handed bills to the cabby.

After one last look at her, the driver soon walked back to his vehicle and departed.

She was still hesitating if she should enter. But with the light cold drizzle hitting her skin, it appeared she didn't have a choice. The clouds overhead looked thick and heavy, and she knew that it would only be a matter of time before it became a downpour. Add to that, she had nowhere to go. There were no vehicles around and she knew that the nearest bus stop was still a few minutes walk from where she was. She saw it while looking out the cab window earlier (that is on the assumption that she would be able to get past the automatic gate). And if she ever made it to the bus stop, assuming she didn't get lost, where would she go? The place she grew up in was so many hours away, even by bullet train, and she didn't have the money to even buy tickets. Her guardians were not necessarily rich. But they were loving and kind people who took her in when she was just an infant. They treated her like a real daughter, and their only son considered her like a blood-related sister. The only reason she was sent to this place was because her biological parents left a letter, tucked in her baby mattress based on what her guardians told her, saying that she was to be sent to this place when she reached the age of 16. No further explanation was given, or at least that's what her foster parents said. And for some reason, despite her adopted parent's qualms about sending her here, she knew they didn't have a choice but to abide by her biological parents' request. Again, as to why, Yumi was not informed.

She had been so busy idling around on the porch that she hadn't noticed that it started to rain.

"Ah"

Yumi ran, luggage in tow, towards the double wooden doors.

She eyed the gargoyle-shaped brass door knocker with hesitance. Her heartbeat thumped in her ears as she slowly reached for it.

She took a deep breath as her fingers lightly brushed the knocker, but she hadn't even gripped it tightly when the door swung open. It surprised Yumi so much that she jumped backward, out of her shelter and into the pouring rain. The cold rain that drenched her hair and her face shook Yumi out of her musing. But she remained where she was, thinking she'd rather stay in the rain than enter the dark interior, visible through the barely opened doorway.

She shook her head violently. She was being silly.

Despite her anxiousness, Yumi took a tentative step forward, followed by another and another until she now stood in front of the door. She reached out and gently pushed it open. The person who seemed to have opened it for her was nowhere in sight.

 _Did he just expect me to come in?_

Yumi gripped the handle of her luggage tightly and solidified her resolve, before braving another step into the open doorway. Once she was inside, the door closed shut behind her. She jumped again in surprise. The house, despite how ancient it seemed, appeared to be equipped with modern technology that automatically opened and closed the door for guests. With her optimism, that was the reason Yumi came up with.

She was now standing in a dimly lit entryway. In the middle was a grand staircase that branched out left and right midway up. The steps were covered by a red carpet, while the railing was made of smooth dark wood.

To her left and right were doors, no doubt leading deeper into the vast manor. Yumi chose to take the door to her right, which was slightly ajar.

"Hello?"

Yumi called out, before she pushed the door open. The room beyond appeared to be a small library. Its walls covered with wooden shelves and countless books. A mahogany table stood in the corner and ornate couches lined the walls, no doubt for those who preferred sitting comfortably while reading.

Like the foyer, the room was dimly lit. She entered as quietly as she could. She was already inside when she noticed that in one of the couches lay a woman who seemed to be asleep. She was the first person Yumi had encountered since entering the house and she was filled with excitement.

"Excuse me?" she asked tentatively. When the person didn't move, she approached the sleeping figure.

Yumi's breath got caught in her throat.

The slumbering woman was beautiful. No, not just beautiful. She was the most stunning woman, Yumi has ever seen in her entire life.

Her hair was midnight black. Her face was so lovely, from the long lashes that lined her closed eyes, to her perfect nose and pink lips that was drawn into a frown. Her skin was so pale and smooth that Yumi was not able to stop herself from reaching out to touch it.

Her fingers were inches away from touching the woman's face when a strong cold grip suddenly stopped her hand. Slowly she moved her gaze and she was filled with terror as her brown hazel orbs met with glowing blue ones.

* * *

A/N: I hope you find this short prologue interesting. Let me know your thoughts.


	2. Vampires and Roses

**Disclaimer:** Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters are not mine. I am simply borrowing from Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Vampires and Roses**

\- - o 0 o - -

A low growl escaped the woman's lips as her eyes glowed, from bright blue to almost white. Yumi tried to pull her hand free, but the more she tried, the harder the person's grip tightened.

Tears stung Yumi's eyes as pain shot from her hand, biting into her skin and seemingly crushing her bones.

"You'll break your new toy if you don't let go, Sachiko." A playful voice said.

But Yumi wasn't able to have a look at the newly arrived person's face because the woman, Sachiko, kept her grip so tight that Yumi's knees buckled. She winced in pain, as she slowly slid to the ground, but her captor didn't show any hint of wanting to let her go.

"That's enough, Sachiko." A calm voice ordered, and not a second later, she was indeed released.

Yumi collapsed to the floor almost instantly, and she held her hand with the other close to her chest. It was red and still throbbing.

"Take her luggage to the spare bedroom" the same voice, her rescuer, ordered.

And as if out of thin air, an old man in a butler's outfit appeared and took her luggage. He bowed and soundlessly disappeared into the dark hallway once more.

"You're bleeding" the playful voice said as she leaned forward, crouched down and pulled Yumi's hand so forcefully that she thought her bones had been dislocated.

Yumi wondered why these people were so brash and so strong, contrary to their appearances. But she wasn't able to dwell too much on that thought, as another sharp jolt of pain shot through her whole arm again, when it was twisted, so that the bleeding part was facing the woman.

"Let me fix that for you" she said.

Yumi didn't even realize that she was bleeding. It looked like her previous captor's nails had been long and dug on Yumi's skin and flesh.

The blonde woman brought Yumi's arm to her lips and she instinctively tried to pull away. But like before, Yumi was held with so much force that she was not able to pull herself free.

The woman holding her would have been beautiful, with her western features and dark blonde hair, if it weren't for her glowing grey eyes that held Yumi's gaze and scared her out of her wits.

"Hold still" she said with a smirk, as she continued to pull Yumi's arm closer. The woman tentatively licked the dripping blood, shaking slightly as she inhaled sharply and swallowed hard, seemingly elated. She smiled widely at Yumi, revealing sharp pointed fangs, before placing her mouth to cover Yumi's wound. Yumi blushed as soft warm lips made contact with her skin. She was expecting those sharp fangs to hurt as it pierced her skin, but there was no such sensation as the blonde woman continued to gently suck on her wound.

The woman slowly pulled herself away, "Sweet…very sweet. _Normal human_ blood is truly delicious" she said with so much delight.

"Can I have some more?" She said, meeting Yumi's eyes. "But I'm afraid I may not be as gentle as before, because I have to _bite_ this time, to drink properly."

Yumi wanted to say 'no'. But she couldn't get out the words from her lips as fear enveloped her whole being at the menacing look directed at her. The blonde woman was still holding her hand and she knew any attempts of escaping her grasp would be futile.

"That's enough, Sei. You're scaring her."

Again, her saviour had said.

"Am I? I am trying to be as courteous and polite as possible."

Yumi's heart drummed loudly against her chest.

 _Will I really be bitten and drained to death?_

She wanted to stand up and run. Forget about her luggage and about the fact that she had nowhere to go. She was so scared. These _people_ (if she could still call them that) were crazy.

"Don't even think about it, Yumi-san."

The hairs at the back of Yumi's neck stood as a cold shiver ran up her spine. She slowly looked up and saw a commanding woman with short black hair and piercing black eyes, standing beside Sachiko and looking at her with a serious expression. Despite the blonde having fangs and threatening to _drink_ from her, the black-haired woman scared her more somehow.

"Sei, I suggest you lead our guest to her room and let her rest."

It seemed that this woman was the leader, judging by how the others, Sachiko and Sei, just obeyed her, though not without a complaint from the latter.

"I see we have a new arrival."

Yet another person arrived and Yumi's hope of ever escaping was diminishing as her _captors_ kept increasing.

"Eriko"

The person leaned by the door frame looking quite bored.

"It seems she's not like us." She said nonchalantly.

Yumi saw that the speaker was also a beautiful woman, much like the three other women before her ( _but not as beautiful as Sachiko_ , she thought). She was wearing a headband on her shoulder length brown hair. And like the others, her skin was pale, almost opaque, but she didn't seem to have fangs. Or probably, she was not interested in Yumi's blood so she kept them hidden. Yumi shuddered at her train of thought. Just being around these people for a few minutes was making her think of crazy thoughts.

"What is she doing here, Youko?"

"Just like us, she was sent to live in this house, despite being different from us. As to why, I was not fully informed. The headmistress just left me with one strict order…" the commanding woman looked at Yumi. "And that is not to kill Fukuzawa Yumi."

The blonde woman smiled evilly, her fangs looking intimidatingly sharp. "Just not _kill_ her right? I can do that, drink from her without killing her."

The train of conversation was making Yumi's head spin so she decided to stop listening. Her eyes were darting left and right, trying not to think too much about what they were saying, but judging whether or not they were distracted enough for her to make a run for it. She knew her chances were slim, but she would still try.

Yumi noticed that the blonde was no longer holding onto her ( _one obstacle down,_ Yumi thought) and so she gathered all the courage she could muster and gently lifted herself up off the ground.

"We've gotten off to a rough start. Everybody's just shocked at getting a _normal_ person as a newcomer." The woman explained. "So let's try again, I am Mizuno Youko. But in this house, we don't address each other by our last name, so 'Youko's' fine." Youko- _sama_ smiled. In Yumi's mind, _'sama'_ seemed appropriate since it appears like she and all the others were her seniors by a year or two.

"This" Youko-sama gestured beside her, "is Ogasawara Sachiko. The one next to you is Satou Sei." Sei-sama gave her a 'v' sign, fangs and all. "And over there by the door is Torii Eriko."

"It's nice to meet you all." Yumi started, her voice so soft that it was merely a whisper. "But I think there must have been a mistake. I think I should just leave." And just as the words left Yumi's mouth, she took hurried steps towards the door. Despite her shaking and weakened knees, her fears must have triggered her 'flight' response that gave her a burst of energy to walk fast, almost run.

But not a split second had passed and the commanding woman, Youko-sama, was standing in front of her, blocking her path.

"I warned you earlier. I said not to even think about running away. You are not mistaken. As I said, you really are supposed to be here with us."

But Yumi in her frantic state, still decided to make a run for it, hoping she could bypass Youko-sama and escape. But just as she bent her knees in preparation for a sprint…

 _Uggh_

Youko-sama gripped her neck as her eyes turned to slits and her fangs elongated.

"Don't test me." She said, her eyes glowing. "I haven't slept well for the past few night and my patience is wearing thin. I may just have to sink my fangs into that neck of yours and drain you for all I care." Her voice was venomous and Yumi should be shaking in fear. But for some reason, she wasn't. She was tired of being scared of these people. She was tired of being bullied and spoken to like she was an object. If they were going to kill her, then they should just get on with it. So with the momentary bravery that coursed through her, Yumi responded.

"Kill me then."

Yumi courageously met the woman's eyes, ignoring the choking pain that seemed to be blocking her windpipe and making it difficult for her to breathe. If she will die here, then so be it. She had just one regret, and that was the fact that she wasn't even able to say goodbye to the family who took her in.

She kept the woman's gaze, thinking that this was the only way she could fight. She'd never win, since these people's physical strength obviously exceeded hers. At least in spirit, she could show them that she is not a weakling that would grovel and beg for her life.

Yumi was expecting the woman to either throw her to the wall, keep on strangling her or bite her. But none of those happened. Instead...

"Onee-sama..."

The hold on her neck loosened and she was released. She slid down to the floor, coughing and heaving.

"You've got guts, little kitten" the blonde, Sei-sama, said "talking back to Youko while she's like that? Are you really so keen on dying?"

Youko-sama was still standing in front of her, but the older woman's gaze was no longer on her, but on the person that stopped her. Her fangs had already retracted and her eyes had returned to their normal color when she finally spoke, "Thank you, Sachiko."

"You're probably just stressed, with the new term coming up." Eriko-sama said.

"Yes, and with the onee-samas now gone..." Youko-sama paused, as if deciding it was best not to continue what she was about to say. Instead, she turned to face Yumi, "I almost killed you. Please don't test my patience again."

Yumi was finally able to catch her breath, when she decided to look up, her eyes brimming with tears. Despite the bravery she just exhibited earlier, she was not able to keep her voice steady when she said "I want to go home."

She felt like a lost little girl, like little red riding hood. But the difference was, there were four wolves that could easily kill her and no grandmother to warn her not to enter the woods.

"I'm sorry, but you can't. We are all here for a reason. Yours may be different from ours, but understand that whoever sent you here, has a reason for doing so."

Youko-sama once again reached out and Yumi froze, expecting her to grab for her neck again. She was surprised that the older woman's hand went a little higher, onto her forehead. Her touch was warm, contrary to the coldness her aura exuded earlier. The woman's hand slid down, making Yumi close her eyes, while her other hand pressed a specific spot at the back of Yumi's neck (Yumi didn't even notice when the woman's other hand slid there).

And all of a sudden… Yumi blacked out.

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi's vision was still hazy, as if she was in a dream.

In that dream, she saw the beautiful woman's face, _Sachiko-sama_ 's, looming over hers. Her eyes were no longer glowing, but were the bluest of blue and they held a gentle look, drawing Yumi in.

Thinking that she was still dreaming, Yumi lifted her hand to touch _her_ face. And this time, Sachiko-sama neither moved away nor stopped her. The tips of Yumi's fingers brushed Sachiko-sama's soft smooth skin. Yumi involuntary closed her eyes, as she sighed and smiled.

"Leave. You shouldn't be here."

It was not a command, but a request.

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi gently opened her eyes.

"You're awake."

The voice had been gentle, but it shook Yumi awake nonetheless. She blinked a couple of times, to clear her hazy vision. It took a couple more seconds before her brain started working properly and everything that had happened earlier rushed back to her – her long journey from the countryside, that had been her home for sixteen years, to the rustic mansion that is _supposed_ to be her new home, to that beautiful sleeping lady that almost crushed the bones of her hand and onto those _beings_ that looked at her as if she was an appetizing…

"Are you okay?"

The voice was so laced with concern that Yumi couldn't help but look at the speaker.

She was an elegant looking woman, with warm grey eyes, a beautiful gentle face and soft wavy brown hair. She was sitting on an ornate chair beside her bed, and judging by the open book on her lap, it seemed she had been reading while waiting for her to wake up.

"I apologize for startling you, Yumi-san. My name is Todou Shimako and like the others, I am among the few who dwell in this house."

Yumi gently pulled herself up into a sitting position and gave a weak smile to Todou- _sama (?)_. No, because as Youko-sama said, they called each other by their given name. _Shimako-sama (?)_ That didn't seem right either, because this person looked like she's the same age as her. Probably Shimako- _san_ , was more appropriate. Not that Yumi spoke her name out loud nor responded to introduce herself. It seemed unnecessary since this person apparently knew who she was.

"I hope the room is to your liking."

At this, Yumi looked around and noticed that she was in an elegant room, so lavish that it felt like it belonged to whole different era. And Shimako-san looked like she belonged there, with her western features and her gentle lady-like mannerisms. So unlike Yumi, who seemed so out of place in a house filled with beautiful but scary individuals.

Yumi ran her hand over the velvety mattress. The bed she was sitting on was a four-poster bed adorned with lacy draping, paintings in gold frames hung on the walls, floor to ceiling glass windows covered by deep red curtains towered on the far end of the room and in between were glass double doors, probably leading out to a balcony. A thick carpet covered the floor, and Yumi was startled to see that it was the colour of blood.

Yumi visibly paled when she realized that the deep red colour of the carpet, and even the curtains and her mattress were very convenient in concealing a particular stain. This made her unconsciously scoot away from her host.

Shimako-san's brow furrowed. "It seems your first encounter with the seniors did not go very well."

Yumi just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Despite Shimako-san's kind appearance, there was no telling if she was as _different_ as the others.

"I have just eaten, so trust that I won't lay a finger on you and I won't make a mistake of _draining_ you."

But instead of calming her down, Yumi's fears just grew and she moved further away.

"I'm sorry, I think that didn't sound right." Shimako-san smiled meekly.

Again, Yumi kept her mouth shut. Thinking hard if this Todou Shimako-san was speaking in metaphors or, which was the more likely possibility (and to Yumi's fear), literally. If so, then she _surely_ was like the others.

"Have you been… _bitten_?" Shimako-san whispered the last part, probably being considerate of Yumi's obvious discomfort.

Yumi maintained her silence. She feared that this new person would be like the commanding woman earlier whose mood easily changed in a blink of an eye, from being nice and saving her one moment, to strangling her and almost draining her of blood a few minutes later.

"If yes, then I am guessing it had been by my onee-sama?"

"Onee-sama?" Yumi whispered, unable to hold back the question from escaping her lips. She immediately put a hand to cover her mouth.

"Oh, you can talk. For a moment there, I was thinking if you'd forgotten how to speak" she giggled. Even her laughter was demure and very feminine. "If you are wondering if Satou Sei-sama is my biological sister, then the answer is 'no'. The term _blood_ _sister_ seems more fitting."

"She didn't _bite_ me." Yumi felt weird saying those words, but she did anyway, finding it difficult to think of a more appropriate word to use.

"I see."

"I was wounded." Yumi added.

"Oh, then that was a greater temptation, seeing _sweet delicious_ blood dripping from a living person. You look kind and innocent Yumi-san and it seems people are easily drawn to you. You are charming and _gullible_ , like the type of person _I_ want to get close to." Shimako-san's eyes glowed. But only for a moment.

Her shoulder's jumped slightly, as if she was just regaining control over herself. Shimako-san blinked and her eyes slowly turned back to their normal color. She then leaned back on her chair and took deep calming breaths. "I'm sorry. It seems you've stirred my appetite with all this talk about blood. I am quite new with my _constitution_ anyway, so I am still mastering controlling my urges. You see, we don't just feed from anyone, aside from the usual animal blood we needed to consume to live. _Drinking_ has a lot to do with affinity and attraction."

"What are you?" Yumi said cautiously.

Yumi may not be the brightest and sometimes is a little slow, but she was not dumb. She knew about _…their kind,_ from stories and TV shows. The difference is, she never realized they truly exist. And if they did, or if Yumi hadn't gone crazy, then these people were the closest to those _creatures_.

"I think you have an idea."

Yumi held her tongue.

"Referring to fictional characters, we may be what you call _vampires_. Although, as to what we are called, I haven't even thought of asking Youko-sama. I just know that I, we, are different."

Yumi gulped. She wanted to say that what they are _officially_ called was unimportant, compared to the fact that this person just admitted that they were real life _vampires_.

"But I will let you in on a little secret. Unlike the ones portrayed in movies and television shows, we are not really afraid of sunlight, crucifixes or garlic." She winked, as if she found this little piece of information amusing. "We are still living breathing, eating, humans. We are just… _special._ "

But it just made Yumi all the more scared. Because if those were not their weaknesses, then what was?

"And no, Yumi-san, I will not tell you what our weakness is."

Maybe Youko-sama was not a mind reader after all. Maybe her face was just so transparent that these people could easily tell what was on her mind.

"But I can tell you why we are like this. Based on my _orientation_ from Youko-sama on my first day here, the reason why we are like this is because of our genes. We have inherited a specific gene from our ancestors that is latent, until we reach a certain age. It varies from person to person, but it is around the age of 16 when that specific gene awakens or activates."

"And what happens when it does?"

"It causes physical changes. To name a few, our agility and strength improves. Our mental capabilities also increase, which will be very helpful during exams as I have been told" Shimako giggled, "But…"

"But?"

"…it comes at a price."

Yumi held her breath.

Shimako-san moved closer, as if she were to tell her a secret.

Yumi likewise inched closer, momentarily forgetting her earlier discomfort.

"We..."

"You?"

"...become anemic and have difficulties in waking up in the morning. We have more energy at night."

Yumi raised her eyebrows. That was not what she expected.

Shimako-san giggled. Probably Yumi's face showed her emotions once more.

"Also..."

This time, Shimako-san's face turned serious.

"We have to consume blood...preferably, fresh human blood."

* * *

A/N: And there you have it, the first chapter. Let me know your thoughts.


	3. Family

**Disclaimer:** Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters are not mine. I am simply borrowing from Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** Thanks for the kind reviews. I am glad that some people find this story interesting. It makes me want to keep on posting my stories and share it for someone else to read. \\(^_^)/

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Family**

\- - o 0 o - -

There was something about that person that stirred the slumbering lust for blood inside of her. It was the same feeling when she first thirsted. That unforgettable gnawing feeling in her throat, the constricting feeling in her chest, the sharp pain in her gut and the unbearable pressure in her gums as her fangs threatens to elongate.

But instead of succumbing to her body's desires, she fought against it. Just like what she had been taught since she had been a child. But no matter how much she persevered to mask her urges by acting indifferent, she knew they still saw through her. It could have been the low growl that escaped her throat, or the changing of the colours of her eyes, that gave her away. Either way, it seemed like they knew. But she would hold onto that lie. For both their sakes.

She didn't want to see that terrified look in her eyes once more. And most specially, she was afraid she'd end up draining and killing her this time.

She will pretend that she did not desire her. She will suppress her urges...she knew she could. But for how long?

\- - o 0 o - -

Shimako-san had already left, and once again, Yumi was alone in her spacious bedroom. It was eerily quiet, save for the sound of the rain and the occasional clash of thunder outside of her window. Both of which, did nothing but intensify Yumi's sense of dread. It was like one of those suspense / thriller films her brother had once forced her to watch with him ( _he shouldn't watch it if he's too afraid of watching alone,_ she mused at that time), wherein the protagonists were trapped in an old house and a killer was on the loose. One by the one, the good guys would be hunted down until only two people remained, the leading man and woman. But in Yumi's case, she was alone. There was no one to help her think of an ingenious idea to trap the villain in a room and set it on fire, or for someone to help her think of a perfect escape plan.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

 _Relax Yumi._

She tried taking deep calming breaths. She knew she couldn't think straight if she remained to be agitated or scared.

One thing was certain. She couldn't stay in this place, otherwise, she either die due to loss of blood or due to a heart attack.

The house occupants should be in their own rooms, doing their own business. The house was big enough for her not meet anyone, should she decide to leave, right? Although, if Youko-sama caught her attempting to leave again, she'd surely have her neck broken this time.

Also, she doesn't have an umbrella to shield herself from the rain, but she does have a hooded jacket, and for now, she would have to make do with that. Another thing to consider was money, she didn't have enough to make it back to her hometown. The cost of going to the city was significant enough that her father had to use up most of their savings, just so she could make the trip. It was one of the reasons why she tried to convince them to let her stay. But it obviously didn't work.

 _Sigh._

Maybe she could find a place to stay and then get a part time job. She was no stranger to doing chores and gardening, so she was sure she'd be able to manage a job somehow. However, if the only available position would be in sales or merchandising, she was not sure she'd be able to do it. Her only consolation is that, according to her classmates in middle school, she has a pleasing personality and a 'kind and gentle' face, making it easy for her to make friends. Then again, making friends and getting customers is a totally different matter.

Anyway, that was just optimistic thinking. This is the city. There's no telling if she could find a place to rent let alone someone to hire her. She's underage.

There was a soft knock on her bedroom door, interrupting her musing.

She stood up and padded softly towards the door. She reached out and touched the knob, but didn't move to open it yet. She composed herself first, steadied her emotions and erased all of her thoughts. If these people could read minds, or were perceptive enough to interpret what was written on her very expressive face, then her escape plan is bound to fail even before she even had a solid one.

When Yumi was ready, or as ready as she could be, she proceeded to open the door.

"What are you doing standing behind the door and not opening it? Are you perhaps expecting I would just leave if you don't answer the door?"

It was Sachiko-sama, with an irritated look on her face.

Yumi's heart started beating faster, just like it did earlier when she first saw her slumbering in the library. She was instinctively drawn to look at her sapphire eyes and hold her gaze. This woman really is so breathtakingly beautiful that Yumi was at a loss for words. Not that she was planning on saying anything anyway, her brain was still clouded to form a coherent thing to say.

Sachiko-sama's eyebrows twitched, probably in annoyance, before she averted her gaze. Yumi missed the slight blush on the other woman's cheeks as she turned away. With her back to Yumi, she said "Onee-sama asked me to inform you that dinner is ready." Her voice was clipped and had a hint of urgency. Without another word, she walked away.

 _Thank you_ , Yumi wanted to say.

But Sachiko-sama was gone, even before the words escaped her lips.

Yumi wanted to go after her, but she knew she needed to make herself more presentable if she was to dine with them. She had just got out of bed and she was sure her head is such a mess that a bird's nest would look neater.

 _Why do I feel like she hates me so much?_

But the more curious question was, _why do I care so much if Sachiko-sama hates me or not?_

With this last thought, she closed the door to her bedroom. She was not planning on staying in this house anyway, so building relationships was not her priority. And it was not as if she wanted to be close with them, seeing she seemed like a tasty treat for them.

After another sigh, Yumi picked up some clothes from her bag that the butler brought up earlier for her. She then proceeded to the adjoining bathroom to take a quick shower. Then she remembered… _Sachiko-sama left without telling me how to get to the dining room._

\- - o 0 o - -

After quickly tidying herself, Yumi headed out. She decided to wear her hair down to hide her neck, because based on the few movies she watched about vampires, they usually fed by biting their prey's neck. Yumi shuddered at the thought. Surely, putting her hair down would not stop them once they decided to feed on her. But still, it was better than keeping it exposed and seemingly serving it to them in a silver platter, as if tempting them to take a bite. She also wore a long-sleeved blouse and a pair of jeans to minimize her exposed skin.

She walked down the hallway. Each step she took made a tapping sound that bounced off the walls, despite how light her steps were. This made her think, _how can they move so noiselessly?_ Ah of course, Shimako-san told her that they gained certain skills when they are _awakened_ , in exchange for the thirst for blood. This made Yumi somewhat happier. She was not jealous of their capabilities because it meant that she was normal and she didn't need to _feed_ like them.

 _What does blood taste like?_

"Wait, what?"

Yumi stopped in her tracks and shook her head. What is that creepy thought doing in her head?

"What _what_?"

Yumi jumped slightly upon hearing a voice.

"I see you're still having a difficulty taking it all in, Yumi-chan. You seem so lost in your thoughts that you're even unconsciously blurting out your inner musing."

Yumi looked ahead and saw Torii Eriko-sama standing by a door, probably leading to her own bedroom, looking at Yumi with a curious expression.

Somehow, the woman didn't give off an ominous aura and Yumi felt like she was harmless. Then again, should she really trust her instincts when dealing with these individuals?

"I am not interested in _feeding_ from you, Yumi-san, if that's what you're thinking."

Yumi blushed.

"Don't misunderstand. It's not that I dislike you. On the contrary, I find you interesting. But my tastes are totally different from that of Sachiko's."

And when she smirked, her fangs weren't visible.

A good sign.

Wait.

"Sachiko-sama?"

Yumi was perplexed as to why Sachiko-sama's _preferences_ was brought into the conversation. If she was given more time to think about it, she'd probably figure it out. Probably. But as of the moment, Yumi was pre-occupied in keeping her guard up should Eriko-sama change her mind and decide to attack her in a deserted hallway.

But she did say that she had no intentions of biting her. Probably, that was the reason why Yumi did not sense any threatening feelings from her. Eriko-sama also said she found her interesting. Yumi wanted to point out that being _liked_ and being _interesting_ are totally different. But Yumi kept her mouth shut.

Then suddenly, Yumi felt a familiar sensation in her abdomen. Yumi paled. It started out as silent rumbling and judging by the lack of reaction from the other woman, it seemed she didn't hear it. Then another bout wracked Yumi's body, making her put both arms on her stomach, hoping to suppress the sound. She needed to leave the presence of this obviously cultured woman, otherwise, Yumi would embarrass herself.

"E-excuse me, Eriko-sama. But I need to go." Yumi said and hurriedly walked past her.

But Eriko-sama suddenly grabbed her arm, stopping her from running away. "Do you even know where the dining room is? I told you that feeding on you never crossed my mind."

Yumi wanted to respond and say that that was not the reason. But before she even opened her mouth to speak, Yumi's body decided to answer for her as a loud rumbling sound, like a croak of a frog, escaped her stomach. It lingered a second longer and Yumi's face and neck flushed in embarrassment.

There was a momentary silence as Eriko-sama released her and her eyes gazed onto Yumi's belly.

Then she burst out laughing.

"I see, I see. That was why you wanted to run away."

She kept on laughing.

"You truly are an interesting person, Yumi-chan. I am glad you'll be with us from now on. You'll definitely make this house livelier!"

It took a few more seconds before Eriko-sama stopped.

"You should have told me you were hungry. Or Shimako. She went to see you earlier, right?"

"Yes" Yumi whispered.

"Anyway, we should head out to the dining room and feed that frog of yours." Eriko-sama teased.

"Eriko-sama…"

"We are a family here. So don't be hesitant in asking any of us for help. Although, based on your first interaction with Sachiko, Youko and Sei, I couldn't blame you for being afraid."

They walked in silence for a few minutes before the older woman spoke again.

"I hope you don't judge Youko based on her actions earlier."

Yumi pursed her lips.

Eriko-sama noticed this and continued, "She was just pressured with being the one in charge of keeping the house and its occupants safe. Although the burden is shared among us three, Sei included, since we are the oldest, Youko's been here the longest and has more experience in managing the house and keeping each of us in check."

Yumi just nodded.

"You see, we only stay in this house until our high school graduation. After that, we are sent into the _real_ world and hopefully, keep ourselves behaved." Eriko-sama wiggled her eyebrows. "If you know what I mean."

"Are they able to make it?"

"Excuse me?"

Yumi bit her lip. She was starting to be at ease with Eriko-sama that she unconsciously voiced out her question. But since she was asked to elaborate, she didn't have a choice but to speak some more.

"T-the ones who graduated and left the house. Are they able to make a living for themselves outside…without causing any trouble?" Yumi uttered the last part in a hushed voice. She was afraid that her statement sounded too distrustful or sceptical.

"I think most of them were able to make it." Eriko-sama said thoughtfully. "The difficult part was the first few months, wherein we had to feed frequently to avoid having urges, especially in front of other people. That is why Shimako is prohibited from leaving the house. But after that, as long as we feed regularly and avoid being too thirsty, it is much easier to control ourselves. Also, we should avoid using our _skills_. Because the more we use it, the hungrier we get. Consider it similar to normal people. If you engage in physically or mentally draining activities, your metabolism speeds up and you easily get hungry."

Yumi nodded again.

"Oh I forgot to mention. Our _not so kind_ nature is also triggered by emotions. So like Youko earlier, her pent up stress caused for her to lose control. Do you understand, Yumi-chan?"

"I think so."

"That is good enough for now."

They descended the stairs that Yumi saw earlier when she first entered the house. By the looks of it, they exited the left wing.

"But why am I here?" Again, that question. Yumi was hoping one of them will be able to answer it eventually.

"I don't know. Maybe you're just a late bloomer. Maybe your family thinks you'll _awaken_ if you stay with us."

"I hope not."

Yumi clapped both her hands to cover her mouth.

 _Stupid!_

Eriko-sama stopped walking and faced her.

Yumi's breath caught to her throat. Now she's done it. Instead of going to dinner, _she'll_ be dinner.

Eriko-sama scrunched her brows and burst out laughing once more.

"That was very brave of you, Yumi-chan. Not that I have my doubts, with the way you stood up to Youko and dared her to kill you."

"I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize" Eriko-sama said as she continued walking. "Those were your honest feelings, right? I felt the same way at first."

"Y-y-you did?"

"Of course. Who would want to be alienated from their parents and their siblings to be sent to live with strangers?"

"Wait, you have biological siblings?"

Eriko-sama had already calmed down from her laughing (which Yumi was thankful for…it was embarrassing when she was the one being laughed at - twice).

"I do."

"Why are they not here?"

The dining room came into view and Yumi knew their conversation would soon come to an end. Judging by the sound of silverware against glassware, it seemed the others were already inside, waiting for them.

"The gene does not manifest in everyone. There are a few bloodlines wherein the gene is more dominant and is inherited by more than one member of the family within a generation. For some, they have one _like us_ for every generation. But ours isn't like that. The last person who had the same _constitution_ as me was my grandfather, so none of my immediate family and close relatives had it, except for me."

Yumi felt sad for Eriko-sama for some reason. And somehow, the thought of these girls experiencing the same feeling of sadness and loss for being separated from their families, made Yumi see them in a different light. Her fear of them was lessened, even by a little.

Eriko-sama stopped in front of the entryway, no doubt wanting to close their conversation before facing the others.

"Don't make that face, Yumi-chan. I am not sad about how I turned out to be and neither should you. Being like this, just made my life more interesting." And the older woman smiled such a radiant smile that Yumi couldn't help but mirror it.

"That's better." She said. "Now let's go. We don't want to keep them waiting any longer."

Eriko-sama had a foot inside the door when she stopped and faced Yumi once again. "I think I like you more now, Yumi-chan. But still, it doesn't mean that I will consider feeding off of you." She joked.

"That's totally fine by me, Eriko-sama." Yumi said with a smile.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** I really like the character of Eriko and she's really fun to write. And I hope you enjoy reading about her too. I deemed it more proper to give a background about the story's "universe" (a term aptly used by one of my friends) through the characters themselves.

 ** _Chapter 3 Preview:_**

 _Youko-sama laughed._

 _Yumi blinked in confusion._

 _"You are a funny girl, Yumi-chan. I was only teasing you" and her fangs retracted, "I am totally fine with you being Sachiko's little sister."_

 _"M-me? That's impossible."_

 _"Oh trust me, it is not. Anyway, I've detained you for too long. You should go back to your room. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me."_


	4. Blood Sisters

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Blood Sisters**

\- - o 0 o - -

Just like the rest of the house, the dining room was elaborately decorated. A crystal chandelier hang on the high ceiling and the walls were covered in ornate cream wallpaper with rose patterns.

The square dining table in the middle of the room was made of dark wood. It could sit at least ten people. But for now, there were only six chairs, three on either side.

Eriko-sama settled herself beside Sei-sama and across from Youko-sama. As for Yumi, she sat on the only vacant chair, which coincidentally was beside Sachiko-sama's. She looked to her side to offer a warm smile, but Sachiko-sama kept her gaze straight, totally ignoring her.

So Yumi just bowed her head and pretended to find her dinnerware interesting.

Soon enough, food was served. They were having pasta and chicken for dinner. Not what Yumi was used to, but who was she to complain? She was imposing on them, lodging and eating for free.

Yumi was about to have her first taste of her food when she heard her name was mentioned.

"It seemed like you were having fun with Yumi-chan, Eriko. We could hear you from down here. What were you talking about?" Sei-sama asked.

"Well, that is a secret between Yumi-chan and I. Right, Yumi-chan?" Eriko-sama winked at her.

Yumi just nodded and smiled.

"Then I will go and visit Yumi-chan in private, later this evening, so we can have our own little secret. Is that alright, Yumi-chan?" Sei-sama said, looking at her with a playful smirk.

"Y-yes, Sei-sama." She stuttered.

Not that she could say 'no', could she?

"Oh, don't be so uptight. You can call me Sei-chan or Sei-chi."

"S-Sei-sama's fine."

At her response, her senior just laughed. "I really like you, Yumi-chan!"

Yumi gave an awkward look to Shimako-san. Based on her understanding, soeurs were people that share a special bond. So despite her very little knowledge, she was somehow aware that Sei-sama should not be saying things like this in front of her own little sister.

But to Yumi's surprise, Shimako-san just smiled at her and said, "I had the chance to speak with her in private too, onee-sama. And I think I am quite fond of Yumi-san myself."

"Oho! Both sisters have the hots for the same person!" Eriko-sama said happily.

"It's not like that, Eriko-sama!" Yumi exclaimed. She blushed in embarrassment, but also knew that she was just being teased.

Despite being with them for less than a day, half of which she spent sleeping, she found it strange that she was easily warming up to them. It was an idea she decided to keep to herself for now, and ponder some more later on.

"I have just decided that Yumi-chan will be my teddy bear, Shimako. But I don't really mind sharing."

"Neither do I, onee-sama."

Yumi didn't know what to say or how to react. But it seems like her face already did the talking for her because everyone, save for Sachiko-sama, burst out laughing.

"Your face never sits still, Yumi-chan. It's amazing." Sei-sama said.

"Yes, even without saying a word, you'd know what she was thinking." Youko-sama said, joining in teasing Yumi.

"Even you, Youko-sama." Yumi sighed.

"Sorry. We should stop for now and let Yumi-chan eat."

Yumi smiled and took a sip from her goblet. At first, she thought it was wine based on the colour. But upon tasting it, she knew it was not. It was some sort of juice she had not tasted before.

"It's cranberry juice. It's good for anaemia and it helps in replenishing the blood."

Yumi was about to say that she doesn't have anaemia. But thankfully, she had one of her more brilliant moments and she quickly understood why Sei-sama looked so serious when she said what her drink was.

"I see." Yumi mumbled.

Sei-sama raised her glass. "We drink it every day too."

Yumi wanted to inquire why they needed to, since they are the ones who _consume_ blood. But she held her tongue. It was probably one of those things she'd eventually learn about.

"By the way, Yumi-chan, sorry for scaring you earlier." Sei-sama started. "I promise I won't ever _feed_ off of you. At least not without your permission."

Yumi nodded. Her senior's words had surprised her. She looked like the playful promiscuous type. But this time, she did look serious and sincere.

"So won't you please allow me to join you on your bed later?" She added.

Youko-sama groaned.

Shimako-san laughed.

Yumi's jaw dropped. _What? Bed?_

"I knew it! You wouldn't have said that without a hidden motive." Eriko started.

"I was serious, Eriko."

"About what? About not drinking from Yumi-chan or about wanting to bed her?"

"Wait, did I say _bed?_ I meant _bedroom._ I was asking if I can visit Yumi-chan's bedroom later so we could play."

Yumi didn't know how to react to that. It appeared like she was being teased again.

"But kidding aside, Yumi-chan's blood was delicious."

"I thought you promise…" Yumi started.

But she wasn't able to finish her statement because Sachiko-sama suddenly stood up.

"Sachiko?" Youko-sama asked, looking perplexed.

The smile from everyone's faces was erased, except for Sei-sama's.

"I suddenly lost my appetite."

"Did you really?" Sei-sama asked meaningfully.

But she was ignored by Sachiko-sama.

"I will be retiring to my room."

And without another word, she stood up to leave. Yumi glanced to her side and her breath was stuck in her throat when she saw that Sachiko-sama's eyes were glowing and her fangs were elongated.

 _What just happened?_

 _Maybe my presence is a bother._

"Don't mind Sachiko. She'll grab a snack when she gets hungry."

Yumi turned to her side and saw Youko-sama looking at her.

"That is quite normal, for Sachiko to act like a brat and do as she pleases. So please excuse my little sister's manners."

"Are you sure it's just her usual hysteria acting up? Or was it caused by a whole different stimulus?" Sei-sama said, giving Yumi a sideway glance.

"Sei"

Sei-sama leaned back on her chair and met Youko-sama's gaze. She had a knowing smile on her lips and instead of being scolded, Youko-sama folded.

"Fine. I will speak with Sachiko."

"And you are confident that your uptight little sister will give you answers?"

"Who said anything about getting answers?"

Sei-sama smiled. "You don't have to. You have an idea as to what's going on, right?"

"Of course."

After the exchange, Youko-sama wore a thoughtful expression while Sei-sama smirked and folded her hands on her chest.

Eriko-sama was quiet, but it seemed like she knew what was going on. Only Shimako-san remained to be as clueless as Yumi.

Yumi wanted to raise her hand, like a kindergartener in school, wait to be called and wait to be given permission to speak. The atmosphere was not so thick and heavy that Yumi felt she'd find herself dead and bleeding should she decide to exhibit her naivety and tell them that she didn't understand what was going on. But the serious expression on Youko-sama's face was hinting at her to just be quiet. And she didn't want to anger Youko-sama.

"Yumi-chan."

Yumi jumped on her seat in surprise at being called. Did Youko-sama notice how utterly oblivious she was and has decided to scold her somehow?

Instead, she said.

"You should finish your meal. It is not polite, especially to the person who prepared it for you."

It seemed the matter had been dropped even if she hadn't caught up yet. It was not like they would explain everything to the detail to someone they just met. These women had been together for some time and as Eriko-sama said, they were like family. So surely, they understand each other well.

Yumi nodded 'yes' and picked up her fork and knife once more to eat. No words were exchanged until they were done eating. At which point, everybody stood up to leave.

"What about the dishes?" Yumi asked. In her house, she was taught to clean up after herself. But apparently, that was not the case for these _ojou-samas_.

"You should just leave it there and let the helpers do the cleaning." Youko-sama said.

"I thought it was just Mr. Butler?"

"There is more than _Mr. Butler_ here." Sei-sama said. "We have gardeners, maids and cleaners. Who do you think does the laundry or maintains the gardens?"

Yumi wanted to ask why she hadn't seen anyone else yet. But decided against it. Again, it was probably one of those things that she'd eventually figure out.

Everyone filed out of the dining room. They walked in silence even as they ascended the stairs. Youko-sama only spoke when they reached the top of the landing where the stairs branched out. Yumi knew that her room was on the left wing, while the others needed to go the other way, except for Eriko-sama whose room was a few doors away from Yumi's.

"Why don't you join me in my room for a moment, Yumi-chan?"

Yumi agreed, not that she had a choice, and walked alongside Youko-sama. Her room was at the far end of the corridor. Shimako-san and Sei-sama both entered their respective rooms, leaving Yumi alone with Youko-sama.

"You seem nervous."

"N-not at all."

Yumi mentally smacked herself. Her stuttering clearly gave away her obvious discomfort. But no one could blame her for it, right?

"I'm sorry about my outburst earlier. I assure you that I am usually a level-headed person."

"Unless you're stressed?"

Yumi sighed inwardly. She was unusually talkative tonight for some reason. Maybe their friendly banter during dinner caused for her to warm up to these people somehow. Or maybe because she had stopped being afraid of dying by the hands, or bite, of these people. She had dared Youko-sama to kill her earlier, and the older woman would have done it. But Yumi had been ready back then. She had a happy childhood and there was not a second wherein she didn't wish she was back home with her family. But there were also times wherein she wished she could just disappear.

The fact that she was adopted was never kept from her. But instead of being a rebellious teenager, it was quite the opposite for her, it made her work harder. Those people gave her shelter, food and clothing. She was sent to school and they loved her like she was their own daughter. And Yumi wanted to return the favour by doing her best in everything that she did, from school (but even with how hard she studied, her grades remained to be average), to doing chores and to just being a good obedient daughter to them. But it didn't mean that she was perfect, there were still a few times when she had been scolded.

However at night, as she lied awake in bed, she couldn't help but ponder why her biological parents gave her away. It made her feel like her very existence was a mistake…a curse. The thought of being hated, even as a young innocent child, to the point that they had to give her away, had never left her mind. The only reason why she kept on waking up to live everyday was to give back the love that was given to her by her adoptive family. To not do anything that would worry them.

But now that she is miles and miles away from them, the sadness of being left behind was gnawing at her heart, making her think of ridiculous thoughts, such as wishing she could just disappear.

"Yumi-chan?"

She blinked. Youko-sama's voices pulled her out of her musing and she realized that they were standing in front of what appeared to be the older woman's bedroom door.

"I'm sorry for spacing out."

"That's fine."

She was led inside the room and the door was closed shut just after she entered. Similar to hers, Youko-sama's bedroom had a lavish feel to it. However, she seemed to have redecorated, because there were no paintings on the walls and the bed was a simple one, without drapes like hers. It somehow reflected her personality.

She was gestured to sit on a white cushioned sofa at the corner of the room. While Youko-sama sat herself on an armchair to her right.

"Was it Eriko who told you I was stressed?"

Yumi nodded.

"Eriko doesn't easily warm up to anyone. Actually, none of us do. But it appears like everyone here likes you already."

This brought a smile to her face.

"You may have been surprised to find that we are _different_. But truthfully, we are similarly surprised to find you were not." Youko-sama crossed her legs and leaned back comfortably on her chair. She then placed her hands on her lap and interlaced her fingers. It made Yumi feel like a neophyte talking to a mob boss.

"But I suppose I should have hinted at it when the headmistress advised me that you are not to be killed."

"Headmistress?"

"Of Lillian"

"Lillian?"

Youko-sama smiled. "I'm sorry for not explaining it properly."

Despite Youko-sama's apology, Yumi still blushed at her ignorance.

"We may be _different_ , but we are still high school students. All of us go to Lillian High School, and the headmistress of that school is among our benefactors."

Yumi nodded, though she grasped only half of what Youko-sama had said.

"She used to be an occupant of this house too, so many years ago. She ascended to be the headmistress of Lillian, so that's where we all of go to study. It makes things less complicated, in case one of us loses control while in school grounds."

Yumi gulped. Does it mean there were a prior incidents of students _unintentionally_ getting attacked?

"But don't worry, there hasn't been any serious incidents in the past years. The last one happened years before I got here. Or so I've been told."

"Eriko-sama said you arrived in this house earlier than her and Sei-sama."

Youko-sama's expression changed, as if reminiscing her younger years. "That's right. My parents were so shocked that I was awakened half a year earlier than when I was supposed to. It was in during the middle of the school year when…" she stopped speaking, gave Yumi a tentative look, before saying, "I don't think it's a good idea to tell you about that. Anyway, I stayed in that school until I finished middle school and enrolled at Lillian's the year after. But I was sent to live here the day after I awakened."

"And Sachiko-sama?"

Youko-sama smiled meaningfully.

"Sachiko came here earlier than expected too. But in her case, she was more subdued. You see, she grew up in a household where the strict rules of society and proper decorum was ingrained into her even at a young age. As a lady, she was taught to always be prim and proper and to keep her emotions in check. That was why, even as she felt the strong urge to feed on someone, and trust me, it was so strong you'd think you'd go mad if you didn't satisfy that hunger, she fought against it."

Yumi was finding it hard to imagine the kind of hunger Youko-sama was explaining. But what she did understand is that if one person kept on bottling up her emotions, or urges in this case, there will come a point when all those pent up feelings would explode and make that person do things they would surely regret later on.

"Isn't that dangerous? Bottling it all up?" Yumi finally said.

"Yes" and based on the older woman's tone, it seemed Sachiko-sama indeed had an outburst sometime in the past.

But Yumi decided not to ask. It seems these things are quite confidential, and that Youko-sama would never share it with anyone, unless the person herself, Sachiko-sama, thought that Yumi should know.

"Sachiko was sent to live here soon after that…incident. Her family never realized she had been awakened for some time and it had been too late to repair the damage. I took her in as a little sister, even if she was just in middle school. I felt a strong connection to her and a strong desire to help and guide her. She is a determined and good person, despite her moments of hysteria. We are polar opposites you see, in terms of our upbringing. In my home, my parents let me explore and try things out for myself. There was this one time, when I was much younger, when I had a tantrum. I wanted to drink the hot chocolate milk my mother made for me, without waiting for to cool down. In the end, she let me do it. Of course my tongue got burned, but I learned my lesson."

Yumi looked at Youko-sama and was amazed at the mature aura she exuded. She is still just a high school student and only two years older than her, but her thinking far exceeded that of her age.

"Is everything clear so far?"

"I think so."

"That's good."

"But I wanted to ask, you were referring to Sachiko-sama as your _little sister_ and Shimako-san called Sei-sama as _onee-sama._ "

"The soeur system is quite unique to Lillian High School. It is a system wherein an upper classman and a lower classman form some sort of a sisterly bond. The older sister teaches and guides, while the little sister supports. That way, the teachings of the nuns are passed down to the students."

"Am I supposed to look for a soeur? If I am going to Lillian, that is."

"Yes, you are going to Lillian starting tomorrow."

"But I didn't take the entrance exams."

"You don't have to. We have it all arranged for you."

Yumi just stared at her senior, unsure of what to say. It seemed they had everything ready for her.

"I was actually getting anxious when you hadn't arrived last week. Why did you arrive so late and so close to the start of the term?"

"I couldn't leave my family."

Youko-sama's eyes softened and without her saying that she understood, Yumi knew that she did. Maybe she had been right, these women feel lonely at being separated from their families. They were still teenagers after all. It was a dangerous thought, because it meant, in Yumi's mind, she was starting to see them as humans with emotions.

"To answer your question, Lillian does not necessarily require you to have one. But in this house, being soeurs hold more significance."

Youko-sama's face turned serious and this made Yumi sit up straight.

"I trust that Shimako has informed you that we don't just _feed_ on anyone. It has a lot to do with affinity. Soeurs are more than friends. They are like blood sisters."

 _Blood sisters_. Shimako-san's words echoed in Yumi's mind.

Youko-sama held her gaze, as if watching the gears of her mind turn at this new piece of information.

"Animal blood gets us through the day. It is a necessary part of life…our life. But once in a while, we need to consume _fresh human blood_. And blood will only satisfy our hunger if it is from someone you have a strong connection to. That was why we were separated from our families. As young adults, still like children somehow, our families are the closest people to us and the most likely target of an inexperienced _infected._ At least that's how researchers refer to someone like us in some of the journals I've read. Being inexperienced is so detrimental that one could end up draining the victim. But as we grow older and get better at handling ourselves, the thought of feeding off of your own family becomes absurd and unimaginable."

 _Soeur…_

"Assuming you're like us, you will definitely be needing one."

"B-but Sei-sama. Earlier, she tasted my blood."

"Sei has her own eccentricities." Youko-sama's lips thinned.

"Then you and Sachiko-sama…"

"Have fed off of each other?" Youko-sama smirked, her fangs somehow showing. It was truly a terrifying sight. "You seem quite interested in my little sister. You kept on mentioning her name."

Yumi took it as a cue to leave. She interpreted is as Youko-sama being possessive of her little sister. But it was not like Yumi desired to be Sachiko-sama's soeur (right?), despite the image of Sachiko-sama drawing blood from her somehow made her shiver in excitement. It was a feeling she could not explain. She couldn't even understand where that thought came from. But she was not delusional. The idea of having a connection with that beautiful person seemed unthinkable. She was cultured, refined and perfect in every way.

 _The exact opposite of me,_ Yumi thought.

Then Youko-sama laughed.

Yumi blinked in confusion.

"You are a funny girl, Yumi-chan. I was only teasing you" and her fangs retracted, "I am totally fine with you being Sachiko's little sister."

"M-me? That's impossible."

"Oh trust me, it is not. Anyway, I've detained you for too long. You should go back to your room. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me."

Yumi stood up and bowed in thanks to her senior. She was almost at the door when Youko-sama called out to her.

"I think I should warn you. Stay away from Sachiko for a while."

\- - o 0 o - -

On her way out earlier, she had asked one of the maids to bring her warm bottles of blood and a cup of thick hot chocolate. She waited for only a few minutes, in her bedroom, when one of the maids arrived with her requests.

 _Her blood was delicious, Sei-sama had said._

She downed the two bottles as quickly as could, but it did very little to satiate her hunger. She was considering knocking on the door of her onee-sama for help, but despite being soeurs with her, she was finding it difficult to ask. The once a month that she had fed from her onee-sama had been because the older woman had offered. The last time she had fed from her sister was more than a month ago. She had refused her offer last week, saying that the older woman was not fit to give her blood, seeing how stressed and tired she had been.

And now, due to _her_ arrival, she was finding it difficult to suppress her hunger. Maybe she should go and visit her onee-sama tonight and ask for it this one time.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4 Preview:**_

 _"Yumi" Sachiko-sama repeated. And her voice was laced with irritation this time, probably due to Yumi's obvious inattentiveness._

 _"Y-yes"_

 _"You should always be cautious. You may have become too accustomed and comfortable in this house, but we are still what we are, and you should avoid being careless."_

 _Yumi was dumbfounded. Did Sachiko-sama just scold her?_

 _"And your answer?"_

 _Without thinking, she automatically answered. "Yes, Sachiko-sama."_


	5. Warning

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Warning**

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi headed back to her room after the conversation with Youko-sama.

Her day turned out to be a roller coaster ride and it far exceeded her expectations of what life in the city would be like. Then again, maybe the life of most people would be far from hers, since the possibility of someone finding themselves stuck with _vampire-like_ individuals would be slim.

Yumi had been contemplating on leaving the house earlier, but now that she got to know most of the people in this house, she unexpectedly found herself hesitating.

Her brief interaction with them, save for Sachiko-sama whom she didn't have a chance to be alone with, made her feel comfortable being with them. And their bantering during dinner made her feel like she belonged with them, that she was welcome to be a part of their family. They were not the blood-thirsty killers Yumi expected them to be. Although they remain to be what they are, Yumi was somehow positive (and strongly hoped she was right) that none of them would _feed_ off of her.

She was still somewhat wary of Sei-sama though. She seemed to be quite unpredictable and her personality was difficult to grasp. But when the older woman accompanied her for a walk back to her room that night, her opinion of Sei-sama had changed.

She bumped into Sei-sama as she exited the right wing. Her senior offered to escort her back to her room. Yumi wanted to politely decline her offer, but she was not given a choice, because without waiting for Yumi's response, the older woman walked ahead of her and stopped at the top of the stairs of the left wing. Yumi remembered her cheeky grin as she waited for Yumi to catch up. They chatted happily along the way. Sei-sama was warm and friendly. They talked about Yumi's hometown and Sei-sama's family.

They were outside Yumi's room when Sei-sama stopped walking, told her that she had no plans of going in, even if Yumi forced her, despite her teasing earlier. Sei-sama was surprisingly like a gentleman, or the equivalent word applicable to a woman.

Yumi retorted, saying she had no plans of inviting her in anyway. And after another row of bantering, Sei-sama expression turned serious.

" _Do you still plan on running away, Yumi-chan?"_

 _The sudden shift in the atmosphere and Sei-sama's question caught her by surprise._

 _The faint yellow lights casted a cinematic look on Sei-sama's face, emphasizing her sad grey eyes and the slight frown on her lips. Her western beauty was highlighted and at that moment, she looked like a leading lady in a foreign film, acting out a sad scene._

" _I…"_

" _Do think about it carefully, Yumi-chan. It's fun having you around. You've been here for only half a day, and most of us already feel like you belong here with us. Unlike Youko, I will respect it if you choose to leave. But still… I hope that you won't."_

 _And with one final smile, "Good night."_

After that conversation, Yumi realized that bumping into Sei-sama in that hallway earlier had not been an accident. It may seem conceited on her part, but it appeared to her like Sei-sama had been waiting to tell her that.

Yumi never had the chance to be alone with any of the house occupants during the following days. They only got the chance to talk during dinners.

The morning drive to school had been quiet. They were driven into two separate cars and she was usually joined by Shimako-san and Eriko-sama. There were a few moments that she got to ride with Youko-sama, it was on a first come first served basis, but never with Sei-sama nor Sachiko-sama. It seemed those two were the most difficult to wake up, hence, they were always on the second car to leave.

As for Yumi, she was always the first person to wake up, have breakfast and ride the car. It didn't come as surprise since Shimako-san had said that none of them were a morning person, a side effect of their _constitution._

Shimako-san was in the same class as her, but she rarely had time to speak with her while in school, except in between classes. Despite riding every morning to school with her, they never really talked. Shimako-san usually had a blank expression on her face in the morning, obviously due her low blood pressure. She then disappeared during breaks and after class, which as Yumi found out during dinner one time, was to prepare for the Maria Ceremony to be held in the middle of May. So Yumi joined her other classmates during lunch, which was fine by Yumi. This way, she got to make more new friends and her school life continued to be peaceful and normal.

When her classmates found out that she was from another middle school, a lot of them had been kind enough to accompany her, offering to help her get used to life at Lillian's. Apparently, most of them had studied at Lillian's since kindergarten, and students coming in from other schools had been few. It was with the help of her classmates, most especially Katsura-san, that she learned that her five housemates were members of the student council, the Yamayurikai. The group were the most adored students at school. But it was Sachiko-sama who was considered as the Star of Lillian. Yumi was not at all surprised. Even she had not been immune to Sachiko-sama's charisma the very first time she saw her.

But ever since she found out about her friends' popularity, Yumi knew that she should keep her distance. And she was pleasantly surprised that none of her classmates knew yet that she was living with the school's idols. Probably it helped that their chauffer parked the cars in the space reserved for the faculty members. That way, no one would see her friends' blank and glassy-eyed looks in the morning.

Yumi didn't want a complicated school life and as much as possible, she wanted to avoid appearing in the Lillian Newspaper, which contained nothing but stories about or related to the Yamayurikai.

Yumi remembered the irritated look on Sei-sama's face, one time during dinner, when an exclusive about her and Shimako-san appeared in the first edition of the school's paper. Sei-sama said that the students were making such a fuss about it. Eriko-sama also shared and complained that the school paper could not even think of a better story than the officers' private lives. Apparently, it had been featured in last year's issues that Eriko-sama chose an imouto who did not live in the _Rose Palace_. It was such a big thing for the students because it made everyone feel like they have a chance to be selected as a little sister of the Yamayurikai officers.

Yumi was informed that it was common knowledge that most of the Roses, even in the past, lived in the house she was living in now. They called it the Rose Palace.

Youko-sama said that it was not intentional for their house to be the 'official residence' of the roses. It just so happened that one of their ancestors became a Yamayurikai officer. And since a person selects a sister based on affinity, people usually became soeurs with the people they lived with. There were a few instances wherein a rose would select a _normal_ person as a soeur, like what Eriko-sama did. But somehow, the position of a rose comes back to the present occupants of the manor.

\- - o 0 o - -

Soon enough, Yumi got accustomed to school life. Although there were still a few times when she forgot to stop and pray in front of the Maria-sama statue, or when she forgot that she was not supposed to run, even if she was in a hurry, so as not to disturb the pleats of her skirt and so as not to toss her white sailor scarves in disarray and, the most difficult of it all was, when she gets lost.

That was why, that day, she found herself in what appeared to be an old greenhouse. The others were still in a meeting. Yumi was about to retrace her steps to find her way back to the tree-lined path going to Maria-sama, which she uses as a reference point, when something inside caught her attention. Yumi loved flowers and red roses were her favourite.

Yumi gently opened the door and she was immediately enveloped by a warm comforting air. She inhaled deeply and allowed the scent of the flowers to fill her senses, making her smile. She proceeded inside and closed the door behind her. In the middle of the room was a red rose bush.

 _Rosa Chinesis_

But she was not drawn to the wonderful flowers that were in full bloom. Instead, she crouched down and caressed a flower which remained to be closed.

 _Rosa Chinensis en bouton_

Yes, Sachiko-sama was so closed off and so distant from her. But still, Yumi found herself being drawn to her. It was such a mysterious feeling.

Her fingers traced the flowers edges, down to its stem when…

"Yumi-san?"

Yumi jumped in surprise and she felt a sharp pain in her finger. A thorn in the rose stem had cut through her skin, making it bleed.

Yumi looked up and saw Shimako-san standing by the doorway.

"I'm sorry if I surprised you, Yumi-san. We are done with our meeting and the seniors' requested me to find you. You usually wait for us in the library, so when onee-sama didn't see you there, they asked me to look for you."

Yumi stood up and faced her friend, "I'm sorry that you had to go through all that trouble."

"No, it's…" Shimako-san's eyes fell onto Yumi's bleeding finger "…fine."

And as if in a trance, she slowly walked towards her.

"Shimako-san?"

She then got hold of Yumi's hand and pulled it towards her, closer to her lips.

Yumi was so stunned that she was not able to immediately react. And before she knew it…

"Excuse me, Yumi-san." Shimako-san, without preamble, placed her lips around Yumi's wound and gently sucked it.

Yumi remained rooted to the spot even as Shimako-san licked her finger clean of blood.

Their eyes met, and she was not surprised that Shimako-san's eyes were glowing.

"I just didn't want to let it go to waste."

And with that, her eyes changed back to their normal colours and let go of her hand, as if nothing had happened.

Yumi was speechless.

"Let's go. Your bag still in our classroom, right?"

"Yumi-san?" Shimako-san waived a hand in front of her, snapping her awake.

"Yes, I'll go get it right now."

\- - o 0 o - -

The incident with Shimako-san at the greenhouse had been awkward. But it had been more uncomfortable when it was discussed during dinner. Apparently, Sei-sama witnessed what happened.

"Shimako"

"Yes, onee-sama."

"I saw you and Yumi-chan at the greenhouse, earlier."

Yumi noticed that Shimako-san, despite her calm indifference after the incident, was now blushing.

"What about it, onee-sama." Shimako-san answered in a voice that was surprisingly calm and steady.

"Oh, come on, Shimako. You drank Yumi-chan's blood, at school!"

"Oh my!" Eriko-sama exclaimed.

Youko-sama looked up from her meal and gently put down her chopsticks to give her full attention to the conversation.

Meanwhile, Sachiko-sama frowned.

"I-" Shimako-san faltered.

"It was not like that!" Yumi defended. She was still shaken at what Shimako-san did, but she didn't want her seniors to misunderstand and scold her friend. "She didn't bite me."

"Wow, Yumi-chan's defending Shimako" Youko-sama said, taking a sideward glance to her own petite soeur. But Sachiko-sama pretended not to notice.

"Honestly, she didn't. I got careless and got myself wounded on a red rose bush."

"Red roses are really dangerous" Sei-sama said, looking at Youko-sama, "But whatever the case, Shimako still drank from you."

"I'm sorry" Shimako-san said, with her head bowed in sincere apology.

"Why are you apologizing, Shimako?"

Shimako-san looked at her onee-sama curiously.

"I brought it up because I wanted to share how surprised I am that you're so much like me."

Yumi's eyes widened at Sei-sama's words.

 _What?_

"I am not sure if I should be happy about that." Shimako-san quietly admitted.

At this, everyone burst out laughing, all but Sachiko-sama who continued to quietly finish her meal.

"Why are you laughing?" Sei-sama asked, clearly perplexed.

"That was a good one, Shimako!" Eriko-sama commented.

Youko-sama was still laughing, but still faced Shimako-san and said, "Just be careful to not do that again."

"Yes, Youko-sama."

"You wouldn't want to be like your onee-sama, right?" Youko-sama added with a smirk.

"Hey!"

\- - o 0 o - -

Dinner turned to be another fun time for Yumi. And she still had a smile on her face when she walked back to her room. Unknown to her, there was one person who had been displeased.

She was about to enter her room when she didn't notice that someone was leaning on the wall opposite her door, waiting for her.

"Yumi"

Yumi jumped in surprise. She quickly turned around and faced the other woman, "Sachiko-sama."

She knew her face was flushed as she shyly met the older woman's gaze. Something that she hadn't done since her first day at the manor. Again, Yumi found herself bedazzled by those beautiful blue eyes, marvelling at the fact that at that moment, she was the one reflected in them.

"Yumi" Sachiko-sama repeated. And her voice was laced with irritation this time, probably due to Yumi's obvious inattentiveness.

"Y-yes"

"You should always be cautious. You may have become too accustomed and comfortable in this house, but we are still what we are, and you should avoid being careless."

Yumi was dumbfounded. Did Sachiko-sama just scold her?

"And your answer?"

Without thinking, she automatically answered. "Yes, Sachiko-sama."

"Good."

And with that, she left.

Yumi still didn't understand Sachiko-sama's actions that night. It was just weird that the older woman never speaks with her, then all of a sudden, she would take the time to scold her in private.

\- - o 0 o - -

The next day, after dinner, she was hanging out in the library with Sei-sama. She was telling her senior how adored they were by the student body.

"I guess that's how it has always been." Sei-sama said. "When I was a first year, my friends had been so jealous that I was picked by a bouton to be her petite soeur. At that time, they didn't know that I was living with her in this house."

"I guess I can understand why they would feel like that. I am just one of the students when I am at school. To them, _to us_ , the Yamayurikai are like celebrities. Because the members of the Yamayurikai are beautiful and smart."

Sei-sama batted her eyelashes "Even me?"

Yumi laughed. "Yes, Sei-sama, even you."

"But you prefer someone else, right?" her senior said with a meaningful smile.

Yumi was caught off-guard by that statement. She chose not to answer and tried to change the topic.

"A-anyway, I am glad to have a peaceful normal life, at least at school. Being the center of attention is kind of difficult, isn't it? You always have to be careful in what you say or do."

Sei-sama put a finger on her chin and assumed a thinking posting, "Hmm. Probably in certain situations, like when there is a student council activity and we are called to act according to our positions. But normally, I act just like how I normally do. I believe the same goes for Youko, Eriko, Shimako and Sachiko. Although, in Sachiko's case, she had been groomed to always be _lady-like_ in public. But I don't really consider it as pretending on her part, because it already became second nature to her to always be prim and proper."

"I see." Yumi leaned back on the sofa they were sitting on and stared at the ceiling.

"But speaking of Sachiko, I noticed that she has become more moody for the past two weeks."

"Maybe it's because of me. I get the feeling that she doesn't like me very much."

"I don't think that's the case Yumi-chan. I think it's quite the opposite."

Yumi turned to look at her senior who was observing her with those sharp grey eyes of hers.

"What do you mean?"

"I think Sachiko _likes_ you."

Yumi's face must have shown such a weird expression, making her senior laugh.

"That's not very funny. Please stop teasing me, Sei-sama." Her cheeks coloured.

"I wasn't teasing you." And she poked Yumi on the nose.

"By the way, Yumi-chan, didn't you notice how pale Sachiko is, these past few days?"

"I never really noticed." Because to Yumi, all of them looked pale. Not that she would point this out.

"I told Youko about it and she told me that Sachiko was actually not feeling well. Due to her strict upbringing, she was just putting a brave face so no one would worry about her."

Now, Yumi was worried.

"Then why don't we get help, like a doctor or something, so she would get better?"

Yumi felt sad and worried, especially at the sad look in Sei-sama's eyes when she said, "Because no doctor would be able to heal Sachiko."

"Isn't Youko-sama doing anything about it? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Sei-sama's lips quivered slightly, something that Yumi failed to notice.

"Youko tried to convince Sachiko to take her medicine, but that stubborn little princess adamantly refused."

"Why? What kind of medicine is it that Sachiko-sama refused to take it, despite knowing that it will make her feel better?"

At this, Sei-sama smiled a wicked smile.

"Blood. Fresh _normal_ human blood."

Yumi gulped.

"Now, you were asking what you can do to help Sachiko. Right?"

Yumi swallowed. Somehow, she knew what Sei-sama would be getting at. So with a slightly trembling voice, she answered, "Yes"

"And you know what you _can_ do?"

"Yes"

"But I am warning you, Sachiko is stubborn and proud and she will deny that she wants to feed from you. She will also push you away, even though deep inside, she **wants** and **needs** to."

Yumi swallowed hard.

"Just to be clear, I am not forcing or implying that you do it. Whether or not you do it, is all up to you."

"Of course. But that is on the assumption that mine would be able to satisfy her."

"Oh, trust me, Yumi-chan. It _definitely_ will."

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** After Shimako in chapter 1, Eriko in 2, Youko in 3 and Sei here in 4, now its time for us to get to know Sachiko in the up coming chapter 5! Let me know your thoughts.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5 Preview:**_

 _But_ _Sachiko-sama held Yumi's other arm. "You have your own soeur."_

 _"Shimako?"_

 _"Yes"_

 _Sei-sama donned a thoughtful look, "I hadn't thought about her."_

 _"Then please do."_

 _"And how about Yumi-chan?" Sei-sama said with a playful smirk._

 _"What about her?"_

 _"She's not really your soeur either, is she? Why are you acting so possessive of her?"_

 _"I-"_


	6. Precious Friend

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** Please brace yourself for what is to come. Here is Sachiko's story.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Precious Friend**

\- - o 0 o - -

"Oh, trust me, Yumi-chan. It will."

Yumi donned a thoughtful expression. She was seriously considering Sei-sama's words. A small part of her was waiting for Sei-sama to blurt out that it was just a joke and start laughing. But she never did.

When Yumi finally was convinced that she was not being teased again, she said. "Does it hurt? To be bitten?"

"I actually consider it to be quite enjoyable, not only for the one feeding, but also from the one being fed from."

Yumi's mind was having a hard time grasping why being bitten and fed from would be an 'enjoyable' experience. But she decided not to contradict Sei-sama who clearly had more experience with it.

"Think of it as similar to blood donation."

Yumi furrowed her brow, ' _well, it technically is',_ she thought.

"It only hurts when the needle is inserted to your vein. But after that, I assure you it would be pleasurable. Our fangs are sharp as a needle", Sei-sama smiled and showed hers to Yumi, "making it easier to sink it into someone's skin and blood vessels."

Yumi didn't know what has gotten into her. But with shaking fingers and wide curious eyes, she slowly reached out to touch Sei-sama's elongated incisors. She was only inches away from touching it when someone swatted her hand away.

At first, she thought it was Sei-sama, since it was only the two of them in the room. However…

"I already warned you, Yumi."

And she could not mistake that icy tone for anyone else.

She wanted to ask when the other person got here, and how she moved so fast. Good thing she was able to hold her tongue, otherwise, Sachiko-sama would scold her again for asking such a dumb question.

"Sachiko" Sei-sama said, by way of greeting. "I was just showing Yumi-chan my fangs. I wouldn't really bite her. You worry too much."

"Worry? Why would I worry about her? She could get herself drained for all I care."

"Really? Then what are you doing here? Why did you stop her?"

"I-" Sachiko-sama faltered, which was so unlike her. She stole a glance at Yumi before straightening her back and casually answering, "I was just passing by when I saw what you, she, was doing. If you want to _play around_ , I suggest you do it in your own rooms."

"I see." Sei-sama said, standing up and meeting Sachiko-sama's eyes.

"Then let's go, Yumi-chan" their senior smirked and pulled Yumi up, off of the couch.

But Sachiko-sama held Yumi's other arm. "You have your own soeur."

"Shimako?"

"Yes."

Sei-sama donned a thoughtful look, "I hadn't thought about her."

"Then please do."

"And how about Yumi-chan?" Sei-sama said with a playful smirk.

"What about her?"

"She's not really your soeur either, is she? Why are you acting so possessive of her?"

"I-"

Sachiko-sama was not able to complete her statement when Sei-sama gave one toothy grin and turned to leave. "Good night."

Yumi, who had somehow been the topic of their argument was left speechless.

But it seemed their senior was not yet satisfied with their exchange and gave one final cryptic remark, at least to Sachiko-sama, before she left.

"Yumi-chan, be sure that you'd affirmed your resolve when you finally decide to _help_."

Sachiko-sama gave Yumi a curious look, before she shook her head, as if thinking that it was none of her business.

"Do as you please", she whispered and likewise exited the room.

\- - o 0 o - -

Sachiko repeatedly berated herself. What was she thinking, approaching Yumi like that? She was successful in avoiding Yumi for the past two weeks, both at school and at home. It was only during dinner time when she got to be so near the other girl, which was always a battle of wills. Being so close to her was so difficult, not with her tempting scent tickling Sachiko's nose every so often.

That was why Sachiko resorted to just watching her at a safe distance. At school, it would always be easy to spot her amidst a group of first years. She knew she shouldn't, because it would only intensify her desires, but somehow, she could not bring herself to tear her gaze away whenever she caught sight of Yumi. Her laugh always looked so carefree and contagious, and there was never a time when Sachiko didn't wish that it would be her making Yumi to be that happy and to laugh like that.

Sachiko sat up from her bed and buried her face in her hands. She was doing it again, unconsciously thinking about Yumi.

She stood up, grabbed her robe and walked out of her room. She needed a mug of hot chocolate for the pain in her stomach to settle down. Also, its rich velvety feel on her lips, tongue and fangs was something she enjoyed. It was so much like blood.

Sachiko was already at the foot of the stairs when her onee-sama called out to her.

"You're still awake, Sachiko."

"Onee-sama"

"Can't sleep?"

"Just a little thirsty." She waited for her older sister and together, they made their way towards the kitchen.

"For me, it's just one of those nights where it's difficult to sleep. Hot chocolate always helps me to relax." The older woman said.

"I have the same in mind. It's probably a habit I got from you."

"And it is a habit I got from my own onee-sama."

And they both giggled.

In the kitchen, her senior took care of heating the water while Sachiko took the canisters from the cabinet. She also prepared two mugs and saucers.

They stood by the kitchen counter in silence, waiting for the water to boil. Her onee-sama then took the liberty of preparing the drinks for the both of them. And it was not long before she was handed a cup of hot cocoa.

Sachiko took a sip from her mug and moaned in pleasure as the hot liquid filled her mouth and settled in her stomach.

"I am pleased that my little sister liked it."

"I always loved the way you make hot chocolate, onee-sama. It's way better than how the servants do it."

"So, will you be passing on this secret recipe to Yumi-chan?"

Sachiko almost choked in surprise. "W-what?"

"You look really adorable when you're flustered, Sachiko."

"Onee-sama…"

"I never really told you that, have I? You are always so serious and uptight. Someone like Yumi-chan would be good for you."

"Please stop teasing me, onee-sama."

Her onee-sama put down the mug on the counter. "Sei told me what you did earlier in the library."

Sachiko sighed and put down her cup as well. "What exactly did Sei-sama tell you?"

But instead of answering her question, her onee-sama asked another question, "Did you think about what I said before?"

Sachiko pursed her lips. How could she not. It was during one of their conversations the previous week when her onee-sama had frankly told her that she should take Yumi for a soeur.

"I did." Sachiko replied in a quiet voice. It would be futile to lie and tell her onee-sama that she hadn't thought about Yumi or about making the younger woman her sister.

"And?"

"I still can't do it. I can't ask her to be my imouto."

"You know what will happen if you fight against your urges, Sachiko. It is obvious that you _desire_ her."

"I am managing my urges just fine, onee-sama."

"But for how long? You wouldn't want to slip into _that nature_ once again, do you?"

"It only happens for the newly awakened."

"It also happens if you suppress your urges for too long. You know it is Yumi-chan's blood that you need, because you _desire_ her. Why are you fighting against the inevitable?"

When Sachiko did not reply, the older woman continued.

"It had been the same for me. When we first met, I knew at once that you were to be my little sister. And it had been the same for Eriko and Sei, and the onee-samas before us. People like us _find_ compatible partners even without wanting to or meaning to. And it is the same for you. "

Her onee-sama turned to face her and gently lifted her chin to gaze into her eyes. But she couldn't look at her onee-sama. She had deliberately disobeyed her and she couldn't even tell her why.

"Look at me, Sachiko."

Sachiko had always been very confident and proud about everything that she did. She is also the type who takes things head on and had never been afraid to take risks. But not this time.

"What are you so afraid of?"

It was the question Sachiko dreaded. The last time that question was asked from her, she had refused to answer.

"Tell me."

Her onee-sama's voice was so firm and persuasive. Last time it had only been a request, but now, it was a direct order.

Sachiko forced the words out of her mouth. It was filled with so much pain and anguish. "I don't want to end up killing her."

~ o ~

 _Her hunger had persisted since the previous weeks. But she was still able to go to school and control her urges._

 _It all started with a dry feeling in her throat and a mild headache. Sachiko thought she was coming down with a flu. So she just drank water constantly and always had cough drops in her mouth._

 _Then came the empty feeling and the dull ache in her gut. There came a time when no matter what she ate, her stomach still felt empty. But instead of increasing her appetite, it decreased, that whenever she forced herself to eat, she would always end up throwing up afterwards. In the end, she decided not to eat any solid food anymore, because for some reason, the only food that her stomach could take was soup. But still, she chose to bear with what she was feeling and did not inform her parents about it._

 _The school term soon ended. Sachiko was looking forward to it because it meant she could go to their summer home and she would get to be with her beloved friend. And she thought that whatever she was feeling would eventually go away the moment she sees her. But she had been wrong. It was quite the opposite. Because the moment she laid eyes on her and smelled her, Sachiko felt her gums started to hurt, like her incisors were being pulled out by the dentist, but this time, without anaesthetics._

 _It was then that Sachiko panicked. In her rush to stay away from her friend, she pushed her, and hurried to her own bedroom. Both her parents were still in the city at that time, and they were bound to arrive a week later, after her father's Board of Directors' Meeting. It had been a miscalculation on Sachiko's part. She shouldn't have persuaded her parents to allow her to go alone, because now, her friend's life would be in danger._

 _She was not naïve. Sachiko knew what was happening to her, because the same thing happened to her cousin, Suguru-san, just a month ago. Sachiko was not there when he awakened, but she had seen him after his first feeding. It was a terrible sight, seeing her usually cool and arrogant cousin looking like he'd lost his mind. His clothes and his mouth were bloody, with someone else's blood, and he had a mad look in his eyes._

 _She had repeatedly prayed to not be like him. But as her parents had explained, it was something that no one could predict._

 _So Sachiko locked herself in her bedroom. The house caretakers must have called her parents and informed them of Sachiko's behaviour, because that afternoon, she had been informed that they would be arriving soon._

 _She didn't know how many days had passed since she first felt the signs that she had awakened. But her hunger had reached the point where the pain in her throat, gut and mouth had been so unbearable that she screamed. She thought she was going out of her mind. Then a strong sweet scent wafted to her nose. She didn't know how, because her door and windows were closed shut. But she could smell it so strongly._

 _Blood_

 _That's when her control broke._

 _Her body moved on its own accord. She stood up, opened the door and rushed to the garden. She followed the scent and not too long after, found its source._

" _Sachiko-sama! I am so glad you are finally out of your room. I was starting to get worried."_

 _In her mind, she was screaming. She wanted to shout and tell her friend to run away. But somehow, she was not in control of her body._

 _She was probably looking at her friend's bloody hand because the other girl said, "I cut my hand while I was pruning the red roses. I'll go and wash it right now."_

 _But her friend was not able to leave. Because at that moment, Sachiko pushed the girl onto the ground and with both her hands and knees, held her in place._

" _Sachiko-sama, what are you doing?" came her panicked voice. But to Sachiko, it sounded like an alluring song, urging her to feed from the younger girl._

 _Her fangs, against her will, elongated to its full length and her eyes glowed blue._

 _She could still remember the terror reflected in her most beloved friend's eyes, before she leaned closer and sank her fangs into her smooth fragile neck. Blood exploded in her mouth and she growled loudly as thick velvety blood coated her lips, her tongue and her teeth. It felt so good and it tasted heavenly. She was still inexperienced in drinking that some spilled from her mouth, down to her chin._

 _Sachiko sucked harder to speed up the flow of blood, satisfying her long overdue hunger. She was so high in ecstasy that she failed to notice that her victim's hands went limp to her sides and had stopped pushing her away. She also didn't realize that she was draining her, as her victim's skin paled, her breathing weakened and her heartbeat slowed down. Sachiko was so drunk at the feel of blood on her lips and tongue that she didn't even hear her mother's frantic scream, when she found her usually prim and proper daughter, savagely feeding, killing, her most beloved friend._

 _Sachiko knew she wouldn't have been able to stop. And it seemed her mother knew it too, so she was forcefully pulled off of her unconscious victim. Sachiko screamed and thrashed around the moment her mouth left her neck. But no matter how much she struggled, she was held in place by her mother, whom had been surprisingly strong despite her frail appearance._

 _After a few minutes, Sachiko eventually got tired, and soon enough, calmed down. It was then that her mind started working again. The blood she had consumed seemed to have settled in her stomach and had been effective in satisfying her hunger. It was only then that the gravity of what she had done sank in. Tears spilled out from her eyes, and she cried and wept like a child in her mother's arms._

 _Her friend was barely alive when she was rushed to the nearest hospital. Due to the Ogasawara family's influence, the incident had been covered up and nobody knew about what happened, except for those present in their summer home and a few hospital staff. She was not allowed to visit her friend in the hospital and the day after that, she was sent to live in the manor._

 _She later on found out that her friend's memory had been erased, including all her memories of Sachiko. She didn't know how it happened or what specifically her family did to her friend, because at that time, what mattered was that she was alive. But still, the fact that she had been forgotten and the sin she has committed was something that would be in Sachiko's heart and mind each and every day of her life._

~ o ~

After hearing Sachiko's story, Youko was speechless.

Each of them had an unforgettable story of the time they were awakened, but Sachiko's clearly had been extreme. She knew Sachiko had fed from someone close to her, but to the point of almost killing that person was a little over the top. Their families' knew the possibility of them being _infected_ early on, so most of them already took the proper measures. Sei and Shimako were sent to the manor just before they awakened. Eriko ended up biting her brother, but didn't manage to drink a drop of blood because she was immediately restrained by the guards that constantly watched her. Also, her brother loves Eriko very much too actually hate her.

In her case, it happened when she was in middle school, when one of her classmates bullied one of her friends. Youko had been so angry, that her eyes glowed and her fangs elongated, effectively scaring the bullies. She herself ran away afterwards, afraid that her friend would see her looking like that. She didn't know how to retract her fangs yet, so she went home holding a handkerchief to cover mouth. She also had her head down, so her fringe would cover her glowing eyes. For her, it was an embarrassing story to tell. It sounded more like something that would happen to Sei, not her.

Those kids tried telling the adults what they saw, but none of the teachers believed them. Youko was a straight honour student and a member of the school council, while those kids were delinquents.

The first time she had fed was from her onee-sama. She did attempt to suppress her thirst as well, until it came to the point where the pain was unbearable that she thought she'd go mad. Thankfully, the person who claimed her as a petite soeur came to visit her that night and graciously offered blood from her own neck.

Youko looked at her little sister once more. She looked miserable and broken as old wounds were re-opened, and Youko could not even begin to imagine what she was feeling. She knew that Sachiko never really had any close friends, except for the ones she have now in the manor. Sachiko had been subjected to countless lessons on calligraphy, flower arrangement, tea ceremony, playing the piano, languages and all other matters she needed to learn to be a _proper Ogasawara_. As such, she never really had the chance to make friends.

And now, hearing about that one friend that Sachiko seemed to value the most was the one she almost killed during her awakening, made Youko's heart wrench.

"Sachiko…" she encase the younger woman's hand in hers.

"I cannot deny that what happened in the past has been terrible. As your onee-sama, I wish there is something that I can do to ease the pain that you feel. But all I could really do is give you is my unending support, because there is nothing we can do to change the past."

Sachiko nodded. Probably not trusting herself to speak.

"But that girl, she is not Yumi-chan. And…"

However, Youko faltered upon seeing the pained look in her little sister's eyes.

Then it hit her, Sachiko's conflicted and troubled expression was not just a result of her remembering about what happened in the past…it was because of its connection to her present.

"Don't tell me…"

"Yes, onee-sama…"

Youko's eyes widened, she finally understood.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** That may be a bit too heavy, but I hope that explained Sachiko's behavior towards Yumi. Anyway, dear readers, I would love to hear your thoughts.

 _..._

 _ **Chapter 6 Preview:**_

 _With her two fingers, Yumi wiped the blood on her face and extended it to Sachiko's lips._

 _Yumi held her gaze steadily, urging her taste it…tempting her._

 _"Shimako-san and Sei-sama were able to taste my blood, and I think it's not so bad."_

 _Wherever Yumi got the idea to do this and say those words, it had been very effective._

 _'Just a taste.'_ _Sachiko told herself._


	7. Temptation

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Temptation**

\- - o 0 o - -

"Don't tell me…"

"Yes, onee-sama…"

Youko's eyes widened, she finally understood.

"So you see, onee-sama, I can't be with her. Because when it comes to her…I lose all control."

Youko cupped her little sister's cheeks, "You are much stronger and wiser than when I first met you. Trust your heart, Sachiko. I can see that you still care deeply about her, despite the fact that she has forgotten all about you."

"Of course, onee-sama. It may have been my family's fault that her memory had been erased and my father said it had been unintentional. But my feelings for her haven't changed. I am just afraid that I would hurt her again."

"You won't." Youko said firmly. "Trust me on this one, Sachiko. Because it appears to me that you adore the girl too much to hurt her."

"But the last time…"

Youko cut her off. She just could not allow Sachiko to do this to herself. "Last time…that was not you. You had just awakened, Sachiko. But as I said, you are wiser now. So I trust that you would know that by suppressing your urges any longer, it _could_ eventually lead for that incident to happen again. You could take it one step at a time, be soeurs first. Yumi-chan knows what it means to be one…what its significance is for people like us."

The sadness in Sachiko's eyes was slowly disappearing and being replaced by hope.

"Start anew with Yumi-chan. Your past together may have been lost, but you can still create new memories in the present and in the future."

After those words escape her lips, Sachiko's eyes lit up and Youko knew that her little sister was considering her suggestion. No, it appears like she will do it…ask Yumi to be her soeur.

\- - o 0 o - -

After finishing their hot cocoa, her older sister accompanied her back to her bedroom. It was rare for her to be that emotional, even in front of her own onee-sama, so it got her sister worried.

They were climbing the staircase when her onee-sama spoke.

"I forgot to ask. When Yumi-chan arrived, I remember you almost crushed her hand. Why would do you that to your friend?"

"I wanted to scare her and make her leave, but you stopped her and almost killed her, remember?"

"And I remembered that you stopped me."

"I would not allow you to kill my friend."

Her older sister giggled, "I'm sorry about that."

"It doesn't sound like you are." Sachiko pouted and the older woman just giggled some more.

"I truly am. I just remembered how brave Yumi-chan had been. So that was your way of protecting her, huh? Not just the secret visits and private scolding."

"W-what do you mean, onee-sama?!" Sachiko was flustered. She never knew that she had been caught.

"Oh come on, Sachiko. You know what I am talking about."

She didn't reply and they continued to walk in silence.

Youko-sama stopped outside of her bedroom door and faced Sachiko, her eyes held a serious expression when she said, "Are you planning on telling her about the past?...your past with her?"

But instead of answering, Sachiko opened her door and gestured for her onee-sama to enter. She didn't want to discuss this out in the hallway, especially not when Yumi's room was just beside hers.

Her onee-sama seemed to have understood her actions and just proceeded to follow her inside. The older woman closed the door and followed her towards the plush red couch situated at the corner of her room. Her onee-sama sat down beside her and faced her.

"The day Yumi arrived, I called my father and asked him exactly what they did to Yumi. But he said he would not be able to explain it in detail."

"You think they intentionally made her forget about you?"

"No, I don't think that's the case. Because he apologized about their 'mistake'. He wasn't even surprised when I told him that Yumi now lives with us."

"So what will you do? Will you tell Yumi-chan about your past?"

Sachiko looked straight into her older sister's eyes, allowed a small sad smile to graze her lips and gently shook her head. "Father said it is best to let Yumi remember on her own. And I agree with him. Also, as you did say earlier that what matters is to create new memories with Yumi. Right?"

"I see."

Sachiko smiled, but this time, it was a smile that reflected the hope that was in her heart.

"So does this mean you are going to make Yumi-chan your petite soeur?"

Sachiko hesitated for a moment. Her onee-sama was really good at these things, coercing her to agree to the older woman's wishes. Like the first time they talked about Yumi.

"… _do you hate Yumi-chan?"_

" _It's not like I hate her."_

" _If you don't hate her, does that mean you like her?"_

 _Sachiko cursed under breath. It was a trap question. And her onee-sama asked it with a straight face, so she was not able to prepare herself before answering. If the older woman had smirked or something similar, Sachiko would have hinted that a trap question was coming._

 _She was still thinking of a response when Youko-sama continued._

" _You do, don't you?"_

" _I-"_

" _I never thought I'd be getting a soeur that is this much of a coward."_

 _At being called a coward, Sachiko's blood pressure suddenly rose. "I am not a coward."_

" _Then prove it…"_

 _Sachiko eyes widened, it had been another trap, one she fell for again._

"… _Ask her to be your soeur."_

...

"Sachiko?"

Her onee-sama's voice shook her out of her recollection.

"I think so…"

Her onee-sama may have forced the answer out of her. But it was not like she was not considering the idea.

"And if ever you do, it's more than just for the blood. Right?" Her onee-sama asked with a straight face.

"Are you trying to insult me, onee-sama?"

And this time, her onee-sama smiled widely, obviously satisfied at Sachiko's answers.

"Just asking."

\- - o 0 o - -

 _Start anew…with Yumi._

That sounds nice.

But is she ready to risk it? She definitely wants to form a bond with Yumi again. But her fears of killing the younger girl is something she needed to overcome first, before she asks Yumi to be her soeur. She may have said 'yes' to her onee-sama earlier, but it was no doubt due to the older woman's coaxing. But Sachiko knew she have to think about it some more, at least as to the timing.

Her eyes unconsciously looked at the clock, it was a few minutes past midnight and decided it was already time for her to go to sleep. Tomorrow was the Maria Ceremony and they needed to be in school early.

But just as she was about to lie down on her bed, there was a faint knock on her door. She switched on the lights, slipped on her robe and padded barefoot onto the soft red carpet that covered the floor.

She was halfway across the room when a familiar scent reached her nose.

Sachiko stopped in her tracks, waited for a good full minute, and hoped that the person would go away.

But the knocking persisted. Her visitor must have seen her switch on the lights earlier, which was visible through the crack under her door.

She cursed under her breath for her carelessness.

So with a resigned sigh, she went and opened the door.

And true enough, outside her door, stood the very person she was trying to avoid. Yumi. The younger woman was wearing soft cotton pyjama bottoms and a plain white tank top. Which was very much like her in Sachiko's opinion. Her face was a clear reflection of what she was feeling, anxiousness and hesitation, as she stared up at Sachiko and forced her lips up to a smile.

"Good evening, Sachiko-sama."

...

" _Ojou-sama" a young girl in pigtails called out to her as she walked out onto the porch. The girl was no older than six and Sachiko was seven._

 _She is a relative of the caretakers of the Ogasawara vacation home._

 _Sachiko frowned. "I thought I told you that I like it better when you call me 'Sacchan'."_

" _But aunt and uncle said that I should call you 'ojou-sama', otherwise, I would be scolded. You are the lady of the house."_

" _And you are the lady's friend."_

" _Ojou-sama…" she said in a whining voice._

" _At least call me 'Sachiko-sama'. I will not talk to you if you call me 'ojou-sama' ever again." Sachiko huffed._

 _The younger girl donned a thoughtful expression. She squinted her eyes and looked up, as if thinking. Sachiko found it rather cute._

" _Okay, I will call you 'Sachiko-sama' then."_

 _..._

"I'm sorry for disturbing you." Yumi started.

"It's fine. Make it quick."

Yumi fidgeted and unconsciously bit her lip. "Actually…Can I come in? This won't take long…I think."

Sachiko raised her eyebrows.

 _No. Why would she want to come in?_

"No. Whatever it is that you need to say, say it here." Sachiko folded her arms on her chest and took an intimidating stance.

 _So you can leave after_ , was left unsaid.

...

" _Stay, Yumi."_

 _She was fourteen._

 _They'd been lying on her bed for the past few hours, sharing stories and playing word games, when Yumi suddenly stood up and said it was already time for bed._

" _We're already_ _ **in**_ _bed." Sachiko joked._

 _Yumi laughed. "Nice try. But I will be the one who would be scolded when aunt and uncle found out that I kept you up this late."_

" _Then tell them that I was the one who requested for it. Tell them I_ _ **ordered**_ _you to stay."_

" _I'm sorry, but I really need to go. I promise I will keep you company again tomorrow, after I am done with my chores."_

 _Yumi extended both her hands, offering to help Sachiko to get up. "Come on, it's time for you to take a quick shower and get ready for bed."_

 _She took the offered hands, but instead of pulling herself up, she pulled Yumi down. Her friend landed on top of her and she giggled._

 _The younger girl quickly pushed herself up and Sachiko didn't miss how flustered Yumi was._

 _This made her smile._

" _I was helping you to get up and not asking for you to pull me down." Yumi said sarcastically._

" _Really? I didn't realize that."_

" _Very funny, Sachiko-sama."_

" _Come on, Yumi. Just for another ten minutes. Please stay."_

" _Fine, just ten more minutes."_

 _But Yumi ended up staying for another hour._

...

But to Sachiko's surprise, Yumi squared her shoulders and put on a resolute expression.

"Please, Sachiko-sama. I insist." She said, before taking a tentative step forward.

This made Sachiko take a thoughtless step back. Yumi was so close, only a foot away, that she panicked and involuntarily distanced herself from the younger woman.

Yumi smiled as she continued to enter the room, probably glad that her persistence had paid off and that she made Sachiko step aside to let her in.

Sachiko sighed and closed the door. It seemed like Yumi was unusually brave tonight.

"What do you need?" She asked irritably.

And her irritability had not been an act. Her hunger was starting to gnaw at her again, so she couldn't help but be annoyed at Yumi's obliviousness to her dilemma.

"If you won't say anything, then I suggest you leave now. I need to go to bed, because in case you've forgotten, the Maria Ceremony is tomorrow." Sachiko said, a little more strongly this time.

"Sachiko-sama!"

Yumi exclaimed so suddenly, that Sachiko's expression involuntarily shifted from irritation to surprise.

"W-what?"

Yumi swallowed hard, as if gathering up what remained of her courage. Her fists were balled to her sides and she was leaning slightly forward with big brown determined eyes.

Yumi was shaking. She was so nervous that her voice had been a little louder than she had intended when she called the older woman's name.

After her conversation with Sei-sama earlier, she stayed up in bed, thinking about it over and over again. It had been such a difficult decision that when she ended up choosing to go and offer her _help_ to Sachiko-sama, it had already been a few minutes past midnight.

Even when she stood in front of her senior's bedroom door, she was still hesitating. Then she said to herself, if she knocks and Sachiko-sama doesn't respond after a few seconds, she would leave and not think about going to see her senior again. It took so much effort and guts on Yumi's part, that she was not sure if she'd ever get the courage to make another attempt.

But now, as she stood in front of Sachiko-sama, looking into those azure eyes, Yumi finally realized that maybe what made her decide to offer her help to Sachiko-sama was something that was quite difficult to explain. Her senior clearly disliked her, despite what Sei-sama had said earlier. But still, she found herself drawn to the other woman. And she knew that it was more than just physical attraction. It was something else…something much deeper. Yumi felt a connection with her that she herself could not begin to understand.

"I know you're _thirsty._ " Yumi blurted out, her voice still quivering. "Maybe I could help."

Sachiko's eyes widened. She was so shocked that it took a while before she answered, "What did you say?"

"I know it's presumptuous of me" Yumi said nervously, "But I think it would help, even a little, if you drink…from me."

Sachiko's face still clearly showed how bewildered she was. She just couldn't wrap her head around the idea that she had been agonizing about avoiding and pushing Yumi away, in fear that her control would break and she'd end up draining her. And now Yumi just decided to knock on her door to offer her her blood? How annoying is that?

And then she remembered that she saw Yumi and Sei-sama in the library earlier.

"It's Sei-sama, isn't it? She convinced you that I need **your** blood. Well, I am telling you now that whatever she may have told you is not true. I don't need you…"

But Yumi cut her off. "But you **do** need it. I can tell. And she did not force me to offer my blood to you. It was my choice to do so."

"Don't be conceited, Yumi! Why would I want to drink from you?"

That was a lie. A lie that Yumi bought as the younger woman winced, both at the tone of her voice and by the words she had used. And it hurt Sachiko too. But that was fine. So long as it was effective in pushing her away, she would be the willing villain. At least for now.

Yumi stood motionless for a moment. And it looked to Sachiko that she was so close to tears, but was only forcing herself to remain strong…stopping herself from running away.

Then, in a quiet voice Yumi said. "I know it's not much. B-but I hoped it would at least be better than your regular animal blood."

"I don't want it! I **don't** need it!"

She knew she was being hysterical. It was side of her that Yumi, this Yumi, hadn't seen yet. But she didn't care.

Unknown to her, Yumi knew she would act like this.

Yumi had been ready.

She looked at her senior and firmed her resolve. Now that she had finally voiced out her intentions, there was no turning back. Sei-sama had warned Yumi that Sachiko-sama would be stubborn and prideful. But she had been ready, she had already thought of a plan which she prayed would work.

Yumi then scanned the room and quickly found what she was looking for. She then took a deep breath and walked towards the study desk on the other side of the room. She was conscious of Sachiko-sama watching her every move, but still, her steps never faltered.

She picked up the scissors, opened it and turned to meet the older woman's gaze.

"Sei-sama had warned me that you would stubborn and would adamantly refuse my offer. You may think that she sent me here…"

Yumi saw dread flashed through Sachiko-sama's eyes.

"…but this..." With shaking fingers, Yumi lifted the sharp edge to the right side of her neck.

"…this is totally my idea." She closed her eyes shut, squeezed her shoulders together, and braced herself for what is to come.

Sachiko's eyes glowed blue as she almost flew towards where Yumi stood. Sachiko swatted the scissors out of the younger woman's hand. But she had been a second too late, because the blade was already too close to Yumi's skin that when it flew out of her grasp, it still grazed Yumi's right cheek.

The bloodied object fell to the carpeted floor. The red colour of the fabric, effectively masking the stain.

"Yumi, I'm sorry" Sachiko exclaimed, totally forgetting the fact that she should be acting unkindly towards her, as a strong sense of worry gripped her heart.

Sachiko was about to reach out and touch Yumi's face, when blood started spilling out of Yumi's wound. At the sight of that red liquid, Sachiko wasn't able to stop her fangs from elongating to their full length. She quickly covered her mouth, averted her gaze and took a step backward.

She watched as Yumi wiped the blood on her face with her middle and index finger, and extended it to her lips.

Yumi held her gaze steadily, urging her taste it…tempting her.

"Shimako-san and Sei-sama were able to taste my blood, and I think it's not so bad."

Wherever Yumi got the idea to do this and say those words, it had been very effective.

 _Just a taste._ Sachiko told herself. _There's no need to bite her._

"Shimako-san said that she drank the blood from my wound because she didn't want it to go to waste."

 _Yes, it would be definitely be a waste._

"You allowed those two to taste your blood" Sachiko said bitterly.

Yumi smiled.

"They did it without my permission. But this" the younger woman inched her fingers closer, "I am the one who is willingly offering it for you to taste."

With her other hand, Yumi gently removed the hand covering Sachiko's mouth. The younger woman then brought her bloodied finger closer until it touched her lips. Sachiko's tongue involuntarily licked it, making Yumi shiver. But Sachiko didn't notice this because she herself was shaking from the taste of Yumi's blood.

Sachiko then took hold of Yumi's hand and put the two bloody fingers inside her mouth. And with her eyes closed, sucked it clean.

"Sachiko-sama?"

Yumi shyly called out to her.

She gently opened her eyes as Yumi pulled her fingers away. The younger woman's face and neck were flushed. But despite her obvious embarrassment and discomfort, Yumi took another step closer and angled her head so her wounded cheek was right in front of Sachiko's lips. She drew a long steady breath, before closing her eyes.

The sweet taste of Yumi's blood still lingered on her tongue. She knew she wanted more. And it was right there, in front of her, graciously being offered.

 _There's no need to bite her._ She repeated to herself.

And just like what happened earlier, Sachiko indulged herself. She placed both of her hands around Yumi and leaned down to lick the blood from the younger woman's wound. But much to her displeasure, it stopped bleeding immediately. Apparently, the cut had been too shallow.

Sachiko pulled away, inhaled sharply and exhaled audibly. She was trying to condition her mind and her body that for now, that would be enough.

But it seemed that Yumi didn't share the same thought as hers, when the younger woman opened her mouth to say, "You can have some more, if you want."

And Sachiko most definitely did. She thought that once she had a taste of her blood, her urges would disappear and her hunger would be satisfied. But she had been wrong. It just made her even thirstier.

"You're afraid of me." It was statement, not a question.

"I am." Yumi quietly admitted.

"I could drain you and end up _killing_ you."

She wanted Yumi to understand the possible consequences of her actions, should she continue this _temptation game_ of hers.

"No you won't."

Sachiko was surprised at Yumi's answer. She looked into her eyes and searched for any hint that she was just acting brave and was just saying those words to alleviate Sachiko's fears. But there was none. The younger woman just stared back at her firmly, as if urging her to believe her words.

"How can you trust me so much?"

"It's hard to explain, Sachiko-sama. But I know that you won't do anything to purposefully hurt me. I trust you." Her hazel brown eyes showed how sure she was that she knew what she was doing. And it urged Sachiko to believe in herself too.

At Yumi's confident declaration, finally, Sachiko made her decision.

She then offered her hand to Yumi, which the younger woman didn't even hesitate to take.

She led Yumi to her bed.

"You may need to lie down for this."

Yumi nervously nodded and did as she had been instructed. While Sachiko proceeded to remove her robe and crawled on top of her. Her eyes were back to their normal blue, though her fangs, remained to be elongated. Her black hair cascaded down, framing Yumi's face. While both her arms and legs were on either side of the other woman. Somehow, their position felt so intimate.

"For the last time, Yumi, are you sure about this?" she whispered.

"Yes." Yumi's answered with conviction as she gazed up at her.

"Then please close your eyes."

Sachiko then inched closer and leaned down on her elbows. Yumi angled her neck and gave her access to her left neck.

Sachiko tentatively licked the spot where she could sense the blood flow would be the strongest. She swallowed hard and in one quick motion, sank her fangs into Yumi's skin, piercing through her pulsing vein.

Yumi gasped in surprise, but still didn't make any attempt to push her away. And to Sachiko's pleasant surprise, Yumi even proceeded to wrap her hands around her shoulders and neck, pulling her body down, closer to hers.

Warm thick blood exploded into Sachiko's mouth, making her moan loudly in gratification. It tasted so delicious - tangy, sweet, and fully satisfying. She couldn't remember that Yumi's blood tasted this good the last time. Maybe because back then, she had gone past her limits, dulling all her senses and clearing her mind of all reason.

Her hunger was subsiding with every mouthful as her head buzzed in ecstasy. It was like a drug, making her head spin and filling her insides with warmth.

She momentarily pulled away, and gazed at Yumi. Her skin was flushed, her lips were slightly parted and gasping for air, and her eyes were half lidded and dazed. Yumi looked so vulnerable and tempting. It made Sachiko's heartbeat quicken and for her blood lust to intensify.

Yumi then reached up and pulled her head back down, urging her to feed some more.

She didn't know why Yumi was acting this forward. Maybe the fact that her hunger was not yet fully satisfied had been evident in her eyes and the younger girl, despite her current state, had hinted at it.

It was another tempting offer. And one that Sachiko would not decline.

So for the second time, she sank her fangs into the other side of her neck.

Yumi moaned and it unexpectedly sent a shiver down Sachiko's spine. It made her suck harder, increasing the blood flow out of Yumi's vein and into her waiting mouth. And the more she fed, the more her senses heightened. She could not remember feeding had ever felt like this.

All of a sudden, she was aware of everything about Yumi, the feel her of smooth soft neck on her lips, the taste of her blood in her mouth and her sweet delicious elating smell. It was such a new feeling for Sachiko, so much different when she feeds off of her onee-sama.

Sachiko suddenly felt a strong urge to touch her. So she lifted the hem of Yumi's top and caressed her flat abdomen, running her hand up the side of her body and onto the small of her back. While her other hand dug into Yumi's smooth brown tresses. She was enjoying the taste and feel of her when suddenly, she felt the blood flow slowing down. This shook Sachiko out of her euphoria, as she snapped her eyes open, withdrew her fangs and quickly pulled away from her.

"Yumi!?"

Her heart was thumping so loudly against her ribcage.

Did she get carried away and drank too much?

Silence enveloped the room as Sachiko waited for a response from Yumi.

She was still kneeling down, with Yumi's legs in between hers. But she was too afraid to touch her or shake her awake. Sachiko was so terrified to know that she repeated the same mistake again.

Thankfully, after a few seconds, which to Sachiko felt like years, Yumi finally opened her eyes.

Her brown orbs were glassy, but there was faint smile on her lips.

"Sachiko-sama?" She croaked. "Was I able to be of some help to you?" She whispered.

...

" _Am I of some use to you?"_

" _Why do you keep on asking me that, Yumi?"_

" _Well, my aunt and uncle are employed by your family. We are_ _ **supposed**_ _to be of some use somehow." Yumi said sarcastically._

 _At her friends tone, Sachiko closed the book she was reading and turned to face the other girl._

" _Well, you tend to our garden, you accompanied me to that boring party and you massaged my shoulders and my hands when it hurt from playing the piano too much. So yes, Yumi, you've been very helpful."_

 _Yumi smiled. "Then I'm glad. It just worries me because you always have that frown on your face. It makes me feel that I am unable to accomplish my duty as your…"_

" _You are_ _ **not**_ _my servant, Yumi." Sachiko said irritably._

" _I was going to say your_ _ **friend**_ _." Yumi said with a smirk._

 _Sachiko playfully pinched her cheeks. "If it makes you feel better, I will smile from time to time. But just for you. It is not befitting of my image to always be all smiles." She huffed._

...

Sachiko smiled a radiant smile. One that had not grazed her lips for a very long time.

"Yes…"

She then leaned down and tenderly kissed her forehead. "…you were."

"I'm glad." Yumi said, her eyes drooping.

Yumi's bite marks were healing. According to her onee-sama, their fangs secrete some sort of antiseptic whenever they feed. It helps for the bite wounds to heal faster. Probably a final act of kindness towards their victims.

But Yumi was not her _victim_. Not tonight. Never again.

And to Sachiko, it seemed like Yumi's mind may have forgotten about her. But apparently, her heart had not.

"Can I borrow your bed for few minutes, Sachiko-sama? I need to rest for a bit." Yumi whispered, with her eyes already closed.

"Of course, Yumi. Sleep well."

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** After completing this chapter, I can't help but wish for Sachiko to feed off of me too ^^. Let me know your thoughts on the story.

...

 ** _Chapter 7 Preview:_**

 _"You should cover your mouth when you yawn, Yumi."_

 _Yumi jumped in surprise, effectively clearing the webs of sleep in her head._

 _"S-s-sachiko-sama!"_

 _Her senior had obviously just taken a bath. She was wearing a white cotton robe and her hair was still wet, sticking to the side of her white creamy neck. Her robe had not been properly tied and in effect, her chest was partially exposed in such a sway that the side of her breasts were showing._

 _Yumi gulped._

 _Yumi forced herself to look down to the floor. It's not proper to stare at Sachiko-sama like that._


	8. Starting Over

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Starting Over**

\- - o 0 o - -

The room was covered in darkness, no different than that of the deep recesses of a closed-off cave, or the darkness in the middle of the ocean at night without the moon as a source of light.

All the rooms in the manor were constructed like this. The floor to ceiling glass windows that lined the walls were all covered by thick heavy curtains, effectively blocking out the sun. The light in the hallways were kept to a minimum, only dim yellow lamps that hang at far intervals. The architect ensured that no lamp was situated very close to the door of a room, so that only a faint light would enter even through the very fine crack under the doors. The rooms were also sound proofed, muting the footsteps of the house staff that passed by as they go through the morning preparations.

Sachiko liked having her room like this, quiet and pitch black. She's able to sleep better this way, especially during weekends when she doesn't get up until lunch time. But during school days, it also made it quite a feat to wake up.

But today was no ordinary day.

She stirred in her sleep and tentatively opened her eyes. It was still dark, so there was not much of a difference even with her eyes closed. It was quite unusual for her because she usually woke up in a bright room, with Miho, the servant assigned to her, having opened all the curtains. But it seems like she woke up even before her wake-up call, which was another odd thing for her.

Sachiko tried to move, deciding that she should get up and prepare for school. For a change, she wanted to be early and catch the first ride to Lillian. But just as she was about to sit up, she felt some sort of pressure across her upper abdomen. She tentatively reached down and felt arms wrapped around her middle possessively, as if she was a pillow or a teddy bear. It was only then that she realized what happened the previous night.

A smile grazed Sachiko's lips, yet another atypical event in the morning, when her lips would always be drawn to a scowl at having been awoken.

She had fed from Yumi the previous night without draining her, something that she thought was not possible. Although admittedly, she drank a bit too much, so the younger girl would no doubt be suffering from anaemia for a while.

Sachiko ran a hand from Yumi's arm, up to her shoulder, down to neck and onto her face. She willed her eyes to sharpen, effectively making them glow. She wanted to not just feel her face, but to actually see it.

Yumi's face was snuggled closely to her right upper arm. Her nose twitched ever so slightly when her hand touched the younger woman's face, and she was not able to stop herself from giggling. It felt like a dream, being this close to her without feeling afraid.

She was enjoying that peaceful moment of just staring at Yumi's sleeping face when her sensitive eyes saw light slowly creeping into the room as her bedroom door was opened. She willed her eyes to return to their normal colour before pulling out of Yumi's grasp and sitting up.

"Sachiko-sama" Miho, the head servant, called out without looking at her. She walked across the room and proceeded to draw the curtains open.

Miho was in her late fifties, with a round and plump body and a kind face. Her black hair, streaked with a few grey hairs, was tied into a tight bun. There were countless servants before Miho who had been tasked to wake up Sachiko in the morning, but none of them lasted. It was always for the same reasons, either they had not been successful in waking her up, or they managed to make her open her eyes but had been too scared to deal with an angry and grumpy vampire-like person in the morning. But Miho was different. It could either be due to her years of experience in dealing with people like Sachiko, or she was just a foolishly brave old lady. Anyhow, Sachiko learned to like the woman and to not get angry even if her methods in waking her up were extremely annoying.

Miho would usually shake her awake if ever she was not up after calling out to her for a couple of times. This caused for Sachiko to have a head ache. And the moment she cracked her eyes open, she would be greeted by the assaulting morning sunshine. Miho would then keep on talking and talking (she never remembers what the old woman was babbling about anyway), until she finally stands up and goes to the bathroom. But it doesn't stop there, because as Miho had said, there is always a risk of Sachiko falling asleep in the bathroom. So if she was not out in fifteen minutes, whether she's done or not with whatever she was doing, Miho would forcefully open the door to get her, and Sachiko most definitely wouldn't want that. The old servant would only leave her alone once she's in her Lillian uniform, bag in hand, and out of her bedroom. It was a pain, but it's always how her mornings had been since she moved to the manor.

And the fact that it was her onee-sama who wakes up Sei-sama every morning, was some sort of a consolation for Sachiko. Surely, Sei-sama had it worse than her.

So that was why Sachiko couldn't help but laugh at the bewildered look on Miho's face, when she saw her already sitting up on her bed.

"Good morning, Miho."

"Ojou-sama!" The servant exclaimed. It took a few seconds before she calmed down and said, "It seems like you've just _fed_. And a satisfying one at that."

"How did you know?" Sachiko smiled.

"It's the same for all of you. I've been in this house for decades, even before you were born. So I can easily tell if one of you have had an extremely satisfying _drink_. Also…"

The old lady stopped talking as her eyes settled on the bundle of mattress and a mop of brown locks beside Sachiko.

"Ojou-sama!"

Sachiko was surprised at Miho's sudden outburst, "W-what?"

"Is that Yumi ojou-sama in your bed?"

Sachiko smiled, "Oh, yes. Why do look so surprised?"

"I thought it was from Youko ojou-sama. Is Yumi ojou-sama your…"

But Sachiko just smiled.

The matron pursed her lips and pressed her hands together. "Now I know it is not in my place to meddle in your personal affairs, ojou-sama. And I may not be like you, but I am well acquainted with your ways. I believe it is not proper to feed off of someone that is neither your soeur nor your…" Miho swallowed, "…lover. I also trust that you are not the promiscuous type."

Sachiko was so used to being corrected like this, even as a little girl. So she was not perturbed. Instead, she just stood up, faced the old servant and said, "Of course, I am well aware of that. But don't worry. I will make it official soon. And please keep it a secret from onee-sama, for a while."

She knew the older matron was surprised, with her leaving a cryptic remark like that. But she didn't care. For now, it felt like nothing would dampen her good mood.

"By the way, I will be fine now, Miho. So there is no need to wait on me. What I would request is for you to speak with Yumi's attendant and inform her that Yumi is here. I imagined she would be surprised, if not worried, that her charge is not in her room. If I would have to guess, she'd come running to onee-sama and tell her that Yumi's gone missing."

Miho sighed, and by the look on the old servants face, it seemed Sachiko had been right with her assumptions.

"Yes, ojou-sama, that's probably what Maya would do. But be sure that you are out by the porch in time. Youko ojou-sama informed us last night that you'd be leaving for school early today."

After assuring the old lady that she'll be ready in time for their departure, Miho eventually left. While Sachiko proceeded to the adjoining bathroom still with a smile on her face.

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi stirred.

She unconsciously reached out and felt around the bed. She frowned when the thing she was looking for was not there.

She slowly sat up and stretched her back like a cat. She also flexed her arms because somehow it felt dead, like she slept on her side the whole night. She had just awoken, but somehow, her body felt extremely tired. Like she hadn't slept at all. And if it weren't for her body clock, she knew she would still be slumbering right now.

Yumi gently opened her eyes and was pleased that it was already bright. Probably Maya, her young attendant, had already drew open the curtains for her. She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room and remained seated on the bed, with her head down and her messy brown hair framing her face. She buried her face in her hands and gently massaged her eyes and her forehead. Somehow, her head felt heavy and her hands were clammy, but it was nothing that a good cold shower couldn't wash away.

Yumi turned to the side of the bed and stood up. Her vision was still hazy and her head was still clouded, as she walked towards the bathroom to take a bath and get ready for school. She was a few feet away from the bathroom door, when she stopped and let out a yawn. She didn't bother covering her mouth, she knew it was unladylike, but she was in her room and nobody would see her anyway. But it seemed that it was not enough to bring oxygen to her head, because she felt another one coming. She already had her mouth open for another wide yawn, when the bathroom door swung opened and someone stepped out.

"You should cover your mouth when you yawn, Yumi."

Yumi jumped in surprise, effectively clearing the webs of sleep in her head.

"S-s-sachiko-sama!"

Her senior had obviously just taken a bath. She was wearing a white cotton robe and her hair was still wet, sticking to the side of her white creamy neck. Her robe had not been properly tied and in effect, her chest was partially exposed in such a way that the side of her breasts were showing.

Yumi gulped.

She forced herself to look down to the floor. It is not proper to stare at Sachiko-sama like that.

"Did you sleep well?" Sachiko-sama asked. Her tone was unexpectedly steady and without a hint of surprise.

She did sleep well actually. But instead of answering, she decided to ask the question that she deemed was more important.

"What are you doing here, Sachiko-sama?"

Yumi didn't mean to sound accusing or anything, but it was her room and maybe she have the right to pose that question.

"Well, Yumi, this is _my_ room. Where do you think I should be?"

 _What?_

Yumi was starting to get annoyed at Sachiko-sama's calmness, while she was so flustered and confused.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten what happened last night?"

"I-"

"Well?"

Again, Sachiko-sama was unnervingly calm and collected. Like she was just asking her about the weather. And by the smile on her face…

 _Is Sachiko-sama toying with me?_

Yumi took a chance to look around. It didn't take long for her to realize that the room she was in had a slightly different décor than hers. She was no art enthusiast and despite being in her room for two weeks, she haven't memorized what the classical paintings in her room looked like. But she was sure that the ones hanging on the walls now were not the ones she was expecting to see. Also, there was a white piano in the middle of room, which she was sure she didn't have in hers.

It was then that it hit her.

 _This is my room._ Sachiko-sama had said.

"Oh"

Yumi's face flushed as she embarrassedly looked up and met the older woman's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sachiko-sama."

Contrary to Yumi, Sachiko was enjoying their conversation. To her, it seemed like Yumi was still out of it. Maybe an effect of having been fed from the night before. She wanted to tease Yumi some more, if possible, but they had a Yamayurikai meeting before the ceremony that morning and she didn't want to be late.

"That's alright, Yumi. But if we don't start preparing for school now, we'll surely be late."

"Ah yes, of course."

"I don't mind if you use my bathroom. But I'm afraid I don't have a uniform that would fit you. So we would have to ask your attendant to bring your uniform and bag here."

Yumi's face turned a deeper shade of red, just as Sachiko had expected, and she couldn't stop herself from giggling.

"Ah no, Sachiko-sama. I'll be heading to my room right now."

The younger girl was about to dash away from her, when she called out to her.

But this time, with a serious tone, she asked, "Do you regret what happened last night?"

After directly asking Yumi, Sachiko averted her gaze. She was sure that Yumi would say 'no'. But still, there is a very small possibility of her admitting that it had been a mistake on her part, and it was filling Sachiko's heart with dread.

Yumi took her time in answering. It was not that she regretted what happened. More like, she was embarrassed.

Last night, she had been so forward with Sachiko-sama. From the time she bravely forced her way into the older woman's room, then to her foolish plan of wounding herself just so she could break through Sachiko-sama's stubbornness and pride. She even unabashedly tempted Sachiko-sama with her blood, going so far as placing blood on her fingers and literally shoving it to the other woman's lips. She also remembered how Sachiko-sama's expression changed, from anger and irritation, to hesitation and fear, then finally resignation and acceptance. Yumi was trembling the whole time, both from nervousness and elation, but most especially when she had been asked to lie down on the bed. Her heart beat sped up the moment Sachiko-sama crawled on top of her and looked at her with those tender blue eyes. And when Sachiko-sama sank her fangs into her neck, it was as a sensation Yumi would never forget. The first contact had been painful. But soon enough, the pain subsided, like her body had been injected with anaesthetics, and it was replaced by a warm pleasurable feeling. It was quite difficult to explain. But somehow, it didn't even feel like Sachiko-sama was drawing blood from her. To her, what registered was, Sachiko-sama heart stopping proximity, her warm breath tickling the skin of her neck and her soft sensuous touch as she ran her fingers on her bare body.

No, Yumi most definitely did not regret what happened.

"Yumi?"

Sachiko-sama's voice sounded unsure and worried. So she immediately answered.

"No, Sachiko-sama, I don't regret it."

"Are you sure?"

The older woman lifted her gaze to meet with hers. And Yumi held her gaze with conviction, hoping to erase the uncharacteristic uncertainty in her eyes.

"Yes I am."

And it worked, because as soon as the words escaped her lips, Sachiko-sama beamed. Not knowing that it would be her that would feel awkward and uncomfortable at the older woman's next question.

"So, would you like to do it again?"

Yumi's face flushed, but still shyly admitted. "Yes...I would like that very much."

\- - o 0 o - -

After completing her morning preparations, Sachiko headed to the dining room to grab some breakfast, which was usually a thermos of warm blood. She is not a morning person and eating something solid first thing in the morning was one thing she hadn't done since she has turned.

Their cranberry juices and flasks of warm blood (sandwich for Yumi) were all lined up and properly colour coded on the dining table. There would be lunch boxes too, if it were a weekday.

Sachiko proceeded to grab hers (the ones in blue containers). But instead of taking it with her to drink in the car, which happened on most days because she was running late, she asked one of the servants to transfer it in a mug and to warm it. She wanted to sit down and leisurely sip her drink while waiting for Yumi.

Animal blood had sustained her for a long time, but she never really liked its taste. She was only drinking it out of necessity and not because she wanted to. It was so different compared to Yumi's. Drinking from Yumi had not only been satisfying, but, to Sachiko's surprise, extremely pleasurable. Was it because she had been suppressing her hunger for so long? Or was it because their hearts have such a strong connection? Or probably, it was because she was destined to be her soeur?

Well, whatever the reason was, the fact remains that Yumi's blood was something she most definitely would want to drink again. But it didn't mean that she was considering making Yumi her soeur because of her blood. It was the other way around. Sachiko's affection for the girl is what made her blood taste like that for her.

Also, she was not planning on feeding on Yumi any time soon. For one, she was sure that it would take some time before Yumi recovers. That was the reason why feeding from their soeurs was limited to at least a few times a month. While it may be true that consuming fresh human blood was good for them, wherein the one feeding gains energy and vitality, just like what happened to Sachiko that morning, the one being fed from was the one who suffered the consequences.

The other house residents soon arrived in the dining room, one after another. First came Shimako, followed by Eriko-sama and Youko-sama. After grabbing their drinks, they filed out of the room and headed for the car. Her onee-sama called out to her to ask if she would like to go first, but she politely declined. Youko-sama was still not in a talkative mood, to which Sachiko was grateful for, so she left it at that and did not force her for an explanation.

Sachiko sipped from her mug again, while keeping an eye on the door. But instead of Yumi, it was Sei-sama who arrived next. This got Sachiko worried. Sei-sama was normally the last to arrive, later than Sachiko herself, because she was the most difficult to wake up in the morning. She was about to stand up and fetch Yumi from her room when the younger girl soon entered the dining room, all dressed and ready for school.

She noticed that Yumi was unusually pale. Also, she was wearing her hair down. And Sachiko knew precisely why. It was to cover the bite marks on either side of her neck.

The butler soon arrived to announce that the car is ready for them. Sei-sama proceeded to head outside after taking a swig from her thermos. Yumi likewise walked towards the dining table to get her juice and her sandwich.

Sachiko approached Yumi and handed her some pills and a glass of cranberry juice. She had one of the servants prepare it beforehand, so she could give it to Yumi as soon as she arrives.

"Drink this." She instructed. "It will help with the nausea and headache."

Yumi didn't ask any questions and just did what she was told to do.

"You should eat your sandwich in the car. You need your strength. Anaemia and hunger don't go well together and I wouldn't want you to lose consciousness in the middle of the Medallion Ceremony."

Again, Yumi just nodded and agreed. But Sachiko did not miss the awkward look in Yumi's eyes. And that was precisely the reason why she was considering delaying asking Yumi to be her soeur. At least for a few days, until the younger girl was accustomed to her being this close to her. And she really could not blame Yumi. She had avoided, ignored, and even treated her unkindly in the past, so it was no surprise that she feels awkward around her.

They soon boarded the car, with Yumi and Sachiko in the backseat and Sei-sama in the passenger seat.

Yumi ate her sandwich in silence. Aside from the headache and inexplicable tiredness of her body, she somehow felt uncomfortable at being this close to the older girl. So she chose to look out of the window and avoid meeting Sachiko-sama's eyes. Yumi was finding it hard to stop herself from blushing every time the older woman would look at her and speak with her in a manner befitting that of close friends, or if Yumi would dare to think, like soeurs. It may have been due to the fact that she allowed (more like tempted) Sachiko-sama to drink from her, that caused this change in the older woman's behaviour towards her. It was not like Yumi wasn't enjoying being treated this way, in fact, she liked it a lot. But it would probably take some time before she got used to it.

They soon arrived at Lillian and their driver parked the car beside the other black sedan, which carried their friends to school earlier. The three of them walked in silence along the Gingko tree-line path, with her two seniors in front and Yumi a few steps behind.

Sachiko-sama stopped before the statue of Maria-sama, which at that time was adorned with flowers. While Sei-sama went on her way without even bothering to stop to say a silent prayer. She raised her hand and said that she would be going on ahead to the rose mansion.

Yumi did the same as Sachiko-sama did. She joined her hands, closed her eyes and uttered a silent prayer. She wished for peaceful days, just like she always did. She also thanked Maria-sama for the inexplicable happiness she was feeling, now that she is on good terms with Sachiko-sama.

Yumi opened her eyes after her prayer, and was surprised to see that Sachiko-sama was still there. There was a gentle smile on her face, just like Maria-sama.

And it was then that Yumi noticed how different Sachiko-sama looked. Gone was the paleness of her complexion that gave off a false sense of fragility. Her eyes that usually looked emotionless and indifferent were now twinkling, as if in mild amusement. And her lips that were typically pursed (at least when in front of Yumi) were smiling.

 _She truly is beautiful._ Yumi thought.

"Yumi?"

Yumi averted her gaze and blushed. She was staring too much again.

"Are you perhaps wondering why I look…healthier?"

Yumi nodded shyly. Her thoughts must have shown on her face again.

"Do you find it so unusual? You've been staring at me for too long."

Her face turned a deeper shade of red.

 _Is Sachiko-sama really this talkative? Also, it seems like she's so comfortable in teasing me since this morning._

Yumi was finding Sachiko-sama's behaviour extremely unusual. The person standing in front of her was so different from the person that just scolded her yesterday.

"And have you figured out why?" Sachiko-sama continued, obviously unaware of her inner musing.

Yumi frowned. Honestly, she haven't figured it out yet, and she blamed her persistent headache and light-headedness for it.

"Well then, I'll leave that for you to figure out. Anyway, can you hold this for me?"

Yumi looked down and noticed that Sachiko-sama held out her bag to her. While Yumi, still puzzled, took the bag.

Sachiko-sama then moved closer and reached behind Yumi's neck with both of her empty hands.

 _What is Sachiko-sama doing?_

Not knowing what was happening, Yumi panicked. She instinctively lowered her chin and stiffened.

Her heart beat loudly in her chest as she patiently waited for what is to come.

After a few seconds.

"Your tie, it was crooked."

 _What?_

Apparently, Sachiko-sama was fixing her tie.

"You should always be aware of your personal appearance. Maria-sama is watching, after all."

Sachiko-sama held her gaze for a moment before saying, "Anyway, I have a meeting to attend to. I'll see you later at the ceremony."

And with that, Sachiko-sama took her bag from Yumi…

"Gokigenyou."

…and walked ahead of her.

Yumi stood rooted to the spot, watching Sachiko-sama's back slowly getting smaller before she disappeared as she took a turn towards the Rose Mansion.

The warm breeze blew, making the pleats of her skirt and her sailor collar flutter. It also made Yumi's brown hair sway and her bite marks momentarily visible.

Yumi placed a hand on her chest. Willing it to calm down.

If Sachiko-sama would continue acting this way towards her, she might just get used to it. And that in itself is a scary thought. Because Yumi would not be able to stop herself from conceitedly thinking that she was being given a special treatment by her usually cold and aloof senior. And in the end, she may not be able to stop her heart from hoping that maybe, _just maybe_ , Sachiko-sama would consider her to be her petite soeur.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello there! I just thought "Starting Over" would not be complete if I didn't include the part wherein Sachiko fixed Yumi scarf in front of Maria-sama. It was one of the most memorable scenes for me in the anime, hence, I decided from the very beginning that I wanted to write about it here in "Blood".

Good day to you and hope to hear your thoughts.

...

 _ **Next Chapter Preview:**_

 _The sound of the music reverberated in her heart for some reason, awakening something slumbering deep within her soul. Her insides started shaking and her stomach felt hollow somehow. Her chest constricted and the pain in her head intensified, followed by a sharp pain in her gums. It felt as if something was pushing to the forefront of her consciousness to only be stopped by a brick wall._

 _Yumi bowed down and clasped her head in her hands. She closed her eyes shut and bit her lower lip hard to stop herself from screaming in pain. None of her classmates noticed what was happening to her, because they were all too focused on the performance and the one playing._

 _Make it stop._

 _Make it stop._

 _Make it stop._


	9. Confessions

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** Details about the Maria Ceremony are from baka-tsuki. org. Those persevering people translated the Marimite light novels to English, giving people like me the chance to enjoy the stories in its original form (before the anime). Credits and praises to them!

Let us get to know a bit more about Yumi in this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Confessions**

\- - o 0 o - -

The Maria Ceremony is an event unique to Lillian. It is a day when all the Maria-sama statues at school are decorated with flowers and when Lillian's kindergarteners, dresses as angels and parades around school. Instead of classes, a holy mass will be held in the chapel. The Yamayurikai also prepare some sort of 'entertainment', a performance, following the celebration of the mass. But the most important event of the day, at least for a first year student like Yumi, is the Welcoming Ceremony to be held by the student council.

But Yumi would not be able to enjoy today's celebration.

The pills and cranberry juice did very little to alleviate the tiredness and the headache she was feeling. Yumi was contemplating on buying an energy drink (assuming they have it in the milk hall) in hopes that it would get her through the day without fainting. She also considered going to the clinic to ask for some medicine and to lie down for a while, but in the end, she decided against it. She didn't want to miss the freshmen welcoming ceremony her friends had been preparing so hard for these past two weeks.

She was only half hearing what their teacher was saying through homeroom, and she wasn't paying attention even when cute kindergarteners passed by the corridor wearing angel costumes. During the mass, there was a time when she dozed off and was only nudged awake by her classmate beside her when the sermon had ended, and it was time to stand up.

It was safe to say that Yumi was out of it the whole morning. It was only when she heard Charles Gounod's _Ave Maria_ being skilfully played on the organ was she shaken out of her daze. The sound of the music reverberated in her heart for some reason, awakening something slumbering deep within her soul. Her insides started shaking and her stomach felt hollow somehow. Her chest constricted and the pain in her head intensified, followed by a sharp pain in her gums. It felt as if something was pushing to the forefront of her consciousness to only be stopped by a brick wall.

Yumi bowed down and clasped her head in her hands. She closed her eyes shut and bit her lower lip hard to stop herself from screaming in pain. None of her classmates noticed what was happening to her, because they were all too focused on the performance and the one playing.

 _Make it stop._

 _Make it stop._

 _Make it stop._

Yumi prayed so hard to Maria-sama, over and over again, and soon enough…

"Yumi-san?"

She felt a hand under her left elbow, urging her to stand up. She looked up and through her hazy vision, she saw the anxious face of Shimako-san. She was seated at the far end of the long wooden bench, which had been fortunate so none of her classmates were disturbed as she stood up and walked to the side, guided by Shimako-san. She was only half conscious of what was happening, but was willing her foot to take one heavy step at a time, hoping against hope that her trembling knees would not give out.

Shimako-san led her through a door and the pain soon subsided when she left the room full of people. She also felt slightly better when the door was closed, effectively muting the sound of the organ.

"Yumi-san, are you okay?"

Yumi looked up and forced a smile. She was about to say that she was fine, when her knees finally gave out. She almost fell to the floor, if it were not for Rei-sama, Eriko-sama's petite soeur, who caught her. She didn't even realize that their senior was there.

"You should probably lie down for a while." Came Rei-sama's voice.

Most of her weight was borne by Rei-sama, who was holding the left side of her body. While Shimako-san helped by supporting her from the right. She was made to lie down on what felt like an old wooden bench.

"The rose onee-samas won't be able to come here since they are the ones to present the students with medallions, Yumi-san." Shimako-san said, probably explaining why it was just the two of them helping Yumi out.

She nodded her head and once again forced a smile.

"It's fine. I just felt a little light headed, that's all."

Yumi didn't see as the two boutons exchanged worried glances, clearly thinking that it seemed to be more than just nausea.

"I think I will be fine now." Yumi continued. She felt guilty for worrying her friends, and for somehow interrupting the event. "You two should head out to the ceremony. Your fans would be disappointed if they don't find you out there, helping in handing out the medallions." She joked.

"Yes, please leave her in my care for the moment."

Despite her current state, Yumi could not mistake that voice for anyone else. She had wanted to look at her, to see Sachiko-sama's face. But her head was getting heavier by the second as her consciousness slowly slipped away.

"Rei, would it be okay to ask Yoshino-chan to help my onee-sama in my place?"

"Sure. It would not be taxing on her body, since it is not too difficult of a task."

Sachiko thanked Rei, and after that, her two fellow boutons left.

Sachiko didn't see what happened to Yumi earlier because she was too focused in playing the organ. Though there was one point during her performance when she suddenly felt uneasy and it almost (almost) made her miss a key. But since she could not begin to figure out what had caused it, she chose to brush it aside and to focus on her performance.

It was only when she walked towards her onee-sama after her performance was she informed that Yumi was brought to the back room because she was feeling unwell. Despite the fact that there were so many people watching her, she took hurried steps, abandoning her strict training of always being calm and collected, to go to where Yumi was.

Yumi's face was so pale and was beaded with sweat. Her brows were furrowed as if in pain and her lower lip was stained with blood. And Sachiko knew that Yumi may have bitten her own lip to stop herself from crying in pain. It was a brave act. But at the same time, it made her chest ache.

It seemed Yumi had passed out. Sachiko noticed her hand slipped off of the bench and her head titled slightly to the side. Her breathing was now steady and even. Somehow, it made Sachiko feel a little better. At least Yumi was not in pain at the moment.

She sighed.

"What are you doing to me, Yumi?" Sachiko's voice was merely a whisper and it was laced with so much anxiety.

She walked towards the sleeping girl and crouched down to the ground beside her.

"Why are you making me worry like this?"

Sachiko brushed a stray strand of hair out of the younger girl's face.

"When you first arrived in the manor, do you know how frustrating it has been for me to finally be able to see you, but not be able to talk to you because I know that you don't remember me?"

Sachiko then cupped the younger woman's cheek tenderly.

"Do you know how angry I was when Sei-sama and Shimako had tasted your blood?"

Sachiko ran her thumb on Yumi's lower lip, wiping a few drops of blood from the younger girl's wound.

"And when I was finally able to overcome my fear of hurting you…of draining you, I cannot even claim you as mine, because I know how uncomfortable you are around me."

She leaned forward, moving closer…dangerously closer.

"Do you have any idea, how difficult it is for me to see you like this? And be afraid that I was the cause of all this?"

Sachiko closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Yumi's.

"And the only thing I ever wanted is to be close to you, just like this…"

She inched closer still, their lips…only a breath away.

"You have no idea, right? Because you're so oblivious most of the time."

She then swallowed hard, stopping herself from unconsciously licking the blood on Yumi's lips.

"Now tell me Yumi, which of us is cruel?"

\- - o 0 o - -

" _Is she awakening?"_

Yumi felt like her body was floating. She was in a state of limbo, where the thin line between dreams and realities were blurred. A part of her mind was conscious, that she could somehow make out that it was Youko-sama who spoke. But the other half of her, the one stuck in the world of dreams, was making everything muddled and seemingly a hallucination.

" _It seemed like that to me as well_ _, Youko-san._ _But I cannot say for sure._ "

" _The doctors said her blood count is low, but it is not so low for her to end up like this."_

" _Yes, it definitely is not because Sachiko-san fed from her. So please tell your imouto that she should stop blaming herself for what happened to Yumi-chan."_

Upon hearing those words, Yumi's desire to get up and out of bed increased. She wanted to assure Sachiko-sama that it was not her fault and that she should not blame herself. She felt bad for making Sachiko-sama worry. But her body wouldn't move. It was as if her body remained to be asleep and only her mind was somehow awake.

" _I'll make sure to tell her. Also, have you tried contacting Yumi-chan's parents, headmistress?"_

Her head was starting to feel heavier again, as sleep attempted to claim her.

" _Yes I have. But I assure you Youko-san that there's nothing that they can do for her right now. If only I knew how to get a hold of her biological parents…"_

The pull of sleep intensified. It was as if something inside of her was pulling her down, away from the voices…away from consciousness.

" _Does she know?"_

" _Yes, Yumi-chan is well aware that she was adopted. The couple who took her in even let her use her real family name. But as to her parents, I'm guessing they don't even know that she is still alive."_

The voices were getting fainter by the second and Yumi was only half hearing what was being discussed.

" _What do you mean, headmistress?"_

" _That will be enough for now, Youko-san. I've told you far too much. What's important is for you girls to keep an eye on Yumi-chan. This girl had gone through so much, and I hope that Sachiko-san is up to the task of taking care of her."_

" _Yes, I believe she is."_

Then…

…Yumi blacked out.

\- - o 0 o - -

The next time Yumi regained consciousness, she had no recollection whatsoever about what happened to her for the past days.

Only Maya had been there when she awoke. And the moment she saw Yumi sitting up in bed, she was frantic and immediately rushed outside to call the head servant. Apparently, it was already Monday, two days since the Maria Ceremony, when she had passed out. All of her friends were still at school, but based on the time on her wall clock, classes were already over, so they should be arriving any minute now. But that was on the assumption that they don't have a Yamayurikai meeting.

Maya soon came back with Miho-san. But unlike the young maid, Miho-san was more composed, although a hint of worry still lined her face. To Yumi, she looked and felt like a mother, with the way she fussed to check if she was not feverish while gently scolding her for suddenly sitting up even though she had just came from an illness. Yumi apologized of course, because she knew that she was being scolded because they were worried about her.

She had fully recovered. Yumi couldn't feel a hint of tiredness or any sign that she had been sick until recently. But still, it took a whole lot of reasoning and convincing before Miho-san allowed her to go and take a bath.

Maya drew a lukewarm bath for her, but instead of going to the tub, she segued and took a quick cold shower. Because she knew that's what she needed.

Unknown to everyone, what she just went through was not new to her. She had similar bouts of extreme nausea and headache all throughout her life. But unlike before, when she was with her family, her father would just inject her with an 'antidote' and after some time, her condition would improve. But as she grew older, it seemed like the medicine stopped working as effectively as it used to. She was just fortunate that her attacks had significantly lessened and rarely happened…until last Saturday.

She also didn't tell anyone that she has selective amnesia. She had lost a part of her memory after her accident a few years back. She was already back at home with her family when she woke up, and it was then that her parents informed her that she had been hospitalized for a very long time due to a vehicular accident. She remembered feeling so depressed at that time, like part of her life and her identity had been stolen. But her parents said that she'd remember them soon enough, so she should not to force herself to think about it too much.

Yumi turned off the shower and towel dried herself. There really was no need for her to tell her housemates about her situation. They have their hands full with their own lives and she certainly wouldn't want to add to their burden and make them worry.

And just as she thought that, she heard hurried footsteps outside of her bathroom. She slipped on her robe and stepped out. She was halfway out of the door when her arm was immediately pulled out.

"Yumi-chan!"

She suddenly found herself pressed against someone's chest. And judging on the voice that called out to her before the assaulting hug, it could only be Sei-sama.

"Let her go, Sei. Otherwise, you'd be bitten to death by the person behind you."

But Sei-sama continued hugging Yumi. "We were so worried."

 _So much for not making them worry._ Yumi thought.

Sei-sama rubbed her cheek against Yumi's still wet hair as her embrace tightened.

"Shimako would be jealous" Eriko-sama called out.

"Its fine, Eriko-sama." Shimako responded, and it did sound like her onee-sama's eccentric behavior did not bother her.

"Don't you think that's enough, Sei-sama?"

Yumi gulped. Sachiko-sama's voice was dangerously low and threatening.

"Fine, fine. So possessive." Sei-sama said, before she released Yumi.

As soon as she was freed, it was then that she saw the faces of all five of her friends. They were still in their Lillian uniforms and clearly, the head servant must have informed them about her the moment they stepped off of the car.

Yumi wanted to give them a warm smile and to assure them the she was fine. But her view of them was immediately blocked by Sachiko-sama, who stepped forward and stood just a foot in front of her.

"What will I do with you, Yumi?" Sachiko-sama said with an exasperated tone.

Yumi was flustered at Sachiko-sama's proximity. Her cheeks felt so warm that she thought she was coming down with a fever. She was confused at the senior's actions, until she noticed the older girl fixing her robe. Apparently, it had come undone when Sei-sama embraced her earlier.

Yumi's blush intensified.

"You should always be aware of your appearance, Yumi." Sachiko-sama scolded.

Yumi bowed her head and responded, "Yes, Sachiko-sama. I'm sorry."

"Just like soeurs already, huh?" Eriko-sama commented.

"Have you given her your rosary yet, Sachiko?" Sei-sama asked.

To Yumi, it seemed like everything was back to normal. It made her feel happier, despite just being scolded by her beloved senior.

But apparently, there was one who was not amused, because then, Sachiko-sama turned and irritably replied. "Yumi just recovered from her illness. Can't we at least give her a break?"

Sachiko-sama was still standing in front of her, effectively shielding her from the view of their friends.

"And who was it that didn't give Yumi-chan a break? You were the one who just scolded her, Sachiko."

"That's – "

Sachiko-sama was rendered speechless by her onee-sama's words. So she just pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest.

"But still, Sachiko is right. Yumi-chan have just recovered. We should at least let her put on some clothes before Sei starts harassing her again and before we start questioning her about those bite marks on her neck."

Both Yumi's and Sachiko's cheeks flamed.

"Hey! I was only happy that Yumi-chan's feeling better." Sei-sama defended.

"Yes, yes" Youko-sama said as she pulled Sei-sama by the hand towards the door.

"We'll see you at dinner." Eriko-sama waved and followed her fellow roses out the door.

Only Shimako-san walked the opposite direction. Instead of going for the door, she approached Yumi.

Sachiko-sama stepped aside, but stayed beside her, showing no hints of leaving to follow their seniors.

"It's good to see that you're feeling better, Yumi-san." Shimako-san said.

"I think I haven't thanked you yet for helping me out. How did you know that I wasn't feeling well at that time?"

Yumi thought that with that many people in the chapel and with them, as Yamayurikai officers, being too busy with the event, she found it surprising that Shimako-san still managed to spot her and to realize that she needed help.

Shimako-san smiled, "We are always looking out for you, Yumi-san. So next time that it happens, that you need our help, please don't keep it to yourself and let us know. We are your _family_ remember. We've got each other's back."

Yumi was deeply touched by Shimako-san's sincere words. They stared at each other's eyes, sharing a warm friendly moment, when Sachiko-sama cleared her throat. Yumi then felt someone gripped her left hand, shaking her out of the sentimental mood.

"It seems you've forgotten I was here." Came Sachiko-sama's irritated voice.

"Ah, not at all, Sachiko-sama." Shimako-san said with that ever gentle smile of hers.

Yumi looked from Sachiko-sama to Shimako-san.

"I am just glad that Yumi-san have recovered." She then turned to Yumi, "You can copy my notes from today's lessons, Yumi-san. If you want, we can also have a study session so I can share with you what has been discussed."

"There's no need for that, Shimako. You can let her borrow your notes, but I can help Yumi out with her lessons."

 _What is going on?_

Shimako-san looked thoughtful for a moment and her smile disappeared from her face.

"I see. Then I will come back here to your room later after dinner, Yumi-san…to give you my notebooks" she said.

Sachiko raised her eyebrows, but did not say anything.

Shimako-san soon headed for the door and Yumi was left alone with Sachiko-sama.

"Thank you for helping me out too, Sachiko-sama." Yumi started, hoping to break the awkward silence.

"I didn't really do anything. It was Shimako-san who escorted you to the back room and it was Rei who helped you when you were about to fall. I have been informed about it."

Why is it that she feels like Sachiko-sama was feeling regret that it had not been her to help her out?

 _Stop it._ Yumi berated herself. She was being conceited again.

"I know I may have acted unkindly towards you since the beginning. But, I want you to know that I care about you…"

"…just like everyone else?" Yumi guessed. Yes. If Sachiko-sama cares about her, it definitely is no different from that of their seniors' and Shimako-san's.

Her senior paused, seemingly unsure of what she wanted to say.

On the contrary, it made Yumi smile.

Her image of Sachiko-sama was slowly changing, realizing that the older girl also has this side of her. It was rare that she looked vulnerable and unsure, but to Yumi, it already happened a couple of times. But it did not cause for Yumi to adore her senior less. In fact, she was starting to like Sachiko-sama even more. That image of a strong-willed and well-mannered girl that Sachiko-sama usually projects was admirable. That and coupled with her beauty had earned her the title of Lillian's Star. But this side of her, the one with fears and hesitations, is even more perfect, at least to Yumi's eyes.

"No." Sachiko-sama said. "I think I care about you more than they do." Her voice was merely a whisper, but it still had a strong impact to Yumi.

"Anyway, I have made my decision. I will come and get you before dinner, so wait for me."

And with that, Sachiko-sama left, leaving Yumi dumbfounded and utterly confused.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** I may have said in the beginning that this chapter was more about Yumi, which it was (given some hints about her past), but I did enjoy writing the part about Sachiko's confession(s). I hope you enjoyed it too and you will be seeing more Yumi x Sachiko moments in the next chapters.

Good day dear readers! And let me know your thoughts.

...

 _ **Next Chapter Preview:**_

 _"Yumi?!" came Sachiko-sama's irritated voice._

 _'I see. Maybe when she's frustrated or insecure, she acts like she's irritated and angry.' Yumi thought._

 _And this time, Yumi said something she never thought she would ever have the courage to admit in front of her beloved senior._

 _"I like you the best, Sachiko-sama. More than Sei-sama, Shimako-san or anyone else."_

 _Yumi's eyes softened and her lips drew into a gentle but confident smile._

 _On the contrary, Sachiko-sama's eyes widened in surprise._


	10. Garden of Red Roses

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Garden of Red Roses**

\- - o 0 o - -

Sachiko-sama arrived earlier than Yumi had expected.

It was still an hour before dinner when Yumi heard a knock on her door. She scrambled out of bed and rushed to get the door. She had been anxiously waiting for her senior and she couldn't stop thinking about the older woman from the moment she left her with those cryptic words earlier.

Yumi had been thinking of possible reasons as to why Sachiko-sama would want to fetch her and walk to dinner with her. She considered that maybe the older woman was being protective of her (not 'possessive' as Sei-sama had said earlier, that would just be too uncharacteristic of the proud Sachiko-sama). Like what happened early Saturday morning, when her senior waited for her in the dining room, then the moment she arrived, she was handed some pills and a glass of cranberry juice. She also reminded her to eat her sandwich so that she would not suffer from anaemia and hunger at the same time. Through these actions, Yumi concluded that her usually indifferent senior is a caring person. And now, since she had just recovered from an illness, it was possible that her senior wouldn't want to take chances in case she was not well enough to leave her room.

Another possibility was that she wanted to scold Yumi some more for being a scatterbrain and an inattentive person, with how she carried herself in front of everyone earlier. And it would not be the first. So if ever it happened, Yumi would not be surprised.

Yumi was convincing herself that Sachiko-sama's reasons was either of these two, because she didn't want to entertain the third reason that came to her mind. And that was the possibility of Sachiko-sama asking her to be her soeur.

Since the time she had fed from her, Yumi felt that they were getting closer, to the point that she was selfishly thinking that maybe Sachiko-sama was treating her a little more kindly than she should. She knew that it was foolish thinking on her part and she continued to berate herself for thinking this way. But also, with their friends' explanation about the relationship between _feeding_ and being soeurs, Yumi just couldn't stop her heart from hoping. She tried. She honestly tried to stop herself from being conceited, but she just couldn't.

So with an unsteady heart, Yumi opened the door and found an impatient Sachiko-sama on the other side.

"What took you so long?" Came her senior's irritated greeting.

 _Yes, this is how Sachiko-sama should be like. Not the sweet, caring and thoughtful person she has been for the past days._ Yumi said to herself. _It is better this way so my heart will stop hoping._

But since Sachiko-sama was oblivious to her inner musing, she snapped at Yumi.

"What are you doing freezing up like that? Are you not planning to even invite me inside?"

"Ah, of course. Come in." Yumi fumbled for words and hurriedly stepped aside to let her senior in.

Yumi closed the door behind her and they walked to the middle of her room. She wanted to invite her senior to sit down on the white couch situated at the corner of her room, but was unable to, as Sachiko-sama started scolding her.

It made her feel both glad and disappointed that it had been her second assumption which had been correct.

"You should always focus, Yumi. Sometimes I worry about you because you always look out of it or seem distracted. Like what happened earlier, you haven't even realized that your robe had come undone. Or if I were to remind you, when you cut yourself and Shimako unconsciously, as I would like to believe, _drank your blood_ from that wound while still _at school_."

Sachiko-sama sighed.

"And now, you made me wait outside your door. What were you doing anyway?" Sachiko-sama said exasperatedly.

Yumi bowed her head in apology. "I'm sorry, I was just a little distracted."

"About?"

Yumi held her tongue. It's not like she could tell the person herself that she was the cause of her distress.

But it seemed like Sachiko-sama interpreted her silence differently, when she said, "Is it because of Shimako?"

"Who? No. Why would I be thinking about Shimako-san?" Now she was confused.

"I see."

And to Yumi's surprise, she saw a flash of relief on the older woman's face.

 _Or maybe I just imagined it._ She thought.

"Then, her onee-sama, Sei-sama, probably?" her senior continued.

As to what game Sachiko-sama was playing, Yumi couldn't figure it out. So she just truthfully answered.

"No, I wasn't thinking about Sei-sama either. Although, I did consider going to her for help."

And Yumi actually did. Youko-sama may be the best person to ask about Sachiko-sama, seeing as they were soeurs, but somehow, Yumi felt more comfortable in conferring with Sei-sama instead. She wanted to ask their senior how she should handle this 'new' Sachiko-sama. But of course, she knew it would come at a price. She would surely be teased endlessly about it. But it was nothing she couldn't handle.

Sachiko-sama suddenly lost her cool and unexpectedly raised her voice. "Why do you always go to her for help, Yumi? I'm right here, in front of you!"

 _Why is she so angry?_

It was not as if she could ask her about _herself_. So, as per usual, Yumi just bowed her head and apologized.

"Do you really hate me so much?"

"No, of course not."

"Then, you just prefer her over me?"

"No, w-" Yumi was beginning to say, then stopped.

 _Ah._

 _I see._

She had one of her brilliant moments, as memories of previous discussions rushed to her mind.

…

" _I think Sachiko likes you."_

…

" _But my tastes are totally different from that of Sachiko's."_

…

 _"I am totally fine with you being Sachiko's little sister."_

 _"M-me? That's impossible."_

 _"Oh trust me, it is not."_

…

Yumi smiled.

"What are you smiling for?" Sachiko-sama asked irritably.

But she just continued smiling. Because to her, it was starting to make sense. Their friends had known about it since the first day.

…

" _You see, we don't just feed from anyone... Drinking has a lot to do with affinity and attraction."_

…

" _Do you regret what happened last night?"_

" _No, Sachiko-sama, I don't regret it."_

" _So, would you like to do it again?"_

…

And the image of Sachiko-sama, looking down at her after the first time she drank from her neck, was that of pure satisfaction. It was then that Yumi knew that her blood had satiated her thirst. But she also realized then that it was not enough, so she pulled her head back down and let her bite her the second time.

…

" _I know I may have acted unkindly towards you since the beginning. But, I want you to know that I care about you…"_

…

Yumi gazed at the older woman's face, still unbelieving at what she had just realized. She really was dense to have just figured this out now. Their friends had been giving her hints for weeks now. Even the person herself, Sachiko-sama, was giving her hints, all of which she chose to ignore because she found it to be unthinkable that Sachiko-sama feels this way about her.

And as if to further prove that her deductions had been correct, what was reflected in her senior's eyes was neither anger nor annoyance. It was frustration and insecurity. Yumi didn't know how she was able to properly tell her senior's emotions well. But somehow, she knew she was right.

…

 _"I think I care about you more than they do."_

…

"Yumi?!" came Sachiko-sama's irritated voice.

 _I see. Maybe when she's frustrated or insecure, she acts like she's angry._

And this time, Yumi said something she never thought she would ever have the courage to admit in front of her beloved senior.

"I like you the best, Sachiko-sama. More than Sei-sama, Shimako-san or anyone else."

Yumi's eyes softened and her lips drew into a gentle smile.

On the contrary, Sachiko-sama's eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm sorry if my actions made you think otherwise." She continued to say.

Her senior was speechless and Yumi allowed her some time to process what she had just admitted. It was embarrassing for her to openly admit it, and she knew her face was tinged red, with the warm feeling that has gathered around her cheeks and ears.

She watched as Sachiko-sama blinked a couple of times, as if recovering from her sudden declaration. And Yumi just stood there, quietly smiling at her. It felt so good to finally say those words that were in her heart. But at the same time, it was scary. She didn't know how Sachiko-sama would react.

"W-well, that was unexpected."

Yumi's smile grew as Sachiko-sama uncharacteristically stuttered.

"I'm sorry." Yumi automatically apologized.

"Anyway, the reason I came here is because I wanted to give you something." Sachiko-sama said, suddenly changing the topic. But the blush and the uncertain look on her face still remained.

Meanwhile, Yumi's smile has faltered. She had been waiting for Sahiko-sama's reaction to her confession, but she received none.

 _What was I expecting?_

"I wanted to give you this."

Yumi was shaken out of her musing as Sachiko-sama extended her closed hand to Yumi.

She met her senior's eyes, silently asking what it was, as her heart started beating loudly against her chest in anticipation.

 _No way._

But her senior just nodded her head, gesturing for her to put her palms up.

So Yumi did. She extended both her hands and held her palms up.

Her senior opened her hand and Yumi felt something fall onto her open palms.

She looked down and…

…she frowned.

It was a medallion, hanging on a chain like a pendant.

"Onee-sama should have been the one to hang this around your neck the other day. You are in Peach Class, right?"

Yumi nodded.

 _I knew it was impossible._ Yumi thought bitterly.

"Anyway, I know it's too early, but we should probably head down now." Sachiko-sama smiled.

 _So I guess that was it._ Yumi berated herself for foolishly expecting something else from Sachiko-sama.

Yumi turned around walked towards her dresser to keep the medallion. She also didn't want Sachiko-sama to see the disappointed look on her face, so she took her time, hoping to calm herself before braving to face her senior again.

Thankfully, her senior did not rush her and just walked towards the door when Yumi was already standing a few feet from her.

"By the way, what happened to you during the Maria Ceremony, Yumi?" Sachiko-sama said as they walked down the hall. Her voice was casual, as if there hadn't been an awkward moment between them just a few minutes ago.

"Headache and nausea" she curtly answered.

"Based on how Shimako described it, it sounded like it was more than that."

Yumi chose not to respond. She was still contemplating if she should share her story, when Sachiko-sama continued to say.

"You weren't able to watch me play 'Ave Maria'."

"I'm sorry. It was too bad I didn't get to hear how beautifully you played."

"How would you know?" Sachiko-sama suddenly stopped walking and turned to face her. She looked so surprise. "You've never heard me play before, right?"

"I-"

Yumi met her senior's eyes, thinking hard where those words came from. Sachiko-sama was right, she hadn't had the chance to hear her play the piano before. So why does she feel so sure that it was true?

Sachiko-sama then shook her head. "Don't force yourself."

She was still trying to grasp the meaning of her senior's words when Sachiko-sama started walking again.

Yumi followed her down the stairs in silence. But just when she expected her senior to turn and head for the dining room, she went straight ahead towards the front door. Yumi looked at her questioningly, but since her back was to her, the older girl didn't see it. Instead, she proceeded to open the door and walked outside, as if expecting for Yumi to just follow her. And so Yumi did.

Sachiko-sama walked out to the garden.

"Sachiko-sama?" She tentatively called out. She wanted to ask where they were going. Taking a night stroll on the manor's grounds did not seem like something Sachiko-sama would do.

"You've never been out in the garden, right Yumi?"

"No, I haven't. Do you perhaps do this sometimes? Taking a night stroll in the garden?" She still asked, just in case her assumptions were wrong.

Sachiko-sama kept on walking and did not even stop to face her when she responded, "No."

 _No? Then what are we doing here?_

"There was only one time that I did and that was with onee-sama two years ago. It was also on a night such as this."

 _I see._

Somehow, Yumi could indeed picture Youko-sama walking leisurely around the garden. But at night?

Well, they are more energetic at night, Yumi thought. So the likelihood of them being out and about the grounds at night sounded more plausible than doing it early in the morning. Walking out at noon was out of the question, it was just too hot to stay out in the open for long periods of time. And Shimako-san once told her that they were not well acquainted with the heat.

Sachiko-sama stopped walking, and when Yumi took a good look around, she noticed that they were surrounded by lush red rose bushes.

 _Rosa Chinensis_

"Red roses." Yumi said in amazement.

The flowers were glistening, as droplets, probably from the light drizzle earlier, were illuminated by the moonlight. Most were in full bloom, but there were still flower buds that reminded Yumi so much of the person in front of her.

"Yes."

"I've always loved red roses. We don't really have a garden at home so I don't know why I can clearly picture myself pruning and taking care of them."

Sachiko-sama's back stiffened.

"Is it perhaps just a dream? You dreamed that you were in a garden of roses?"

"Yes, that's probably it...just a dream." Yumi replied wistfully.

"Or was it a memory?"

Now it was Yumi who stiffened. Did Sachiko-sama know about her memory loss?

"That could also be a possibility." She quietly answered.

"I see." Sachiko-sama said, but thankfully she was not pushed for explanations or answers.

Yumi was still lost in deep thought when her senior spoke again.

"This is the place that I wanted for you to see, Yumi."

Yumi looked up and noticed that Sachiko-sama was not admiring the flowers. Instead, she was looking ahead of her…

Yumi followed her gaze and at what she saw, her eyes widened and her heartbeat sped up.

It was a small grotto where a white marble statue of Maria-sama, so similar to that at Lillian's, stood.

"When onee-sama brought me here, I was only a middle school student and she was a high school freshman." Sachiko-sama's voice was solemn. "She said that the ones who built the manor considered the possibility that maybe, people like us may want to become soeurs even before we entered high school, since it is possible for us to _turn_ before reaching the age of sixteen. Both Maria-sama statues, this one and the one at school, have watched over countless soeurs as they formalized their bond in front of them. But back in the days, I believe there was no ritual of exchanging rosaries."

Sachiko-sama turned to look at her. And at that moment, to Yumi, she looked so ethereal, bathed in the bright moonlight, surrounded by red roses and donning a serene smile on her beautiful face.

"Onee-sama said that maybe, this place was where the tradition of giving rosaries to soeurs started. She thinks that the first ceremony was done here, and not at Lillian High School grounds."

Yumi couldn't move her gaze away from Sachiko-sama, as hope slowly gripped her heart...

"She said it was some sort of mockery to the ones who thought that we are afraid of crosses."

And as if to prove her point, Sachiko-sama reached inside of her neck, pulled the rosary over her head and pooled it on her open palm. Her fingers closed in on the rosary and she held it to close to her chest.

"I have it with me since I became Mizuno Youko-sama's petite soeur, but look, I am still alive." She giggled.

Yumi wanted to laugh with her, but she couldn't, as anticipation started building inside of her heart.

"Do you know the significance of being soeurs for _us_?"

Yumi nodded.

"I fed from you despite us not being soeurs."

"It was I who tempted you." Yumi said. She didn't want Sachiko-sama to feel obligated or indebted to her in any way.

"But I would have done it eventually even if you didn't _tempt_ me, Yumi." Sachiko-sama said in a quiet voice. "It was only a matter of time back then, actually. So with you doing that, you may have saved your own life."

Yumi didn't know how she should react to that.

"What made you decide to offer your blood to me?"

"I wanted to help you and I felt like I could."

Sachiko-sama just looked at her in response.

So Yumi quickly added, "I'm sorry for conceitedly thinking that my blood would satisfy you."

"But it did." Sachiko-sama quietly admitted. "And I believe nobody else's would be able to have that effect on me."

"But Youko-sama's…" she trailed off.

"We will not be together forever, Yumi. We are bound to go our own ways one day. Do you think I would only thirst for her blood forever?"

That did make sense.

"Also, yours tasted different."

"Not as good as Youko-sama's." And Yumi could not understand why it made her feel sad somehow.

"I would not answer that. Onee-sama would be disappointed if she hears my answer."

Yumi blushed. Her senior **did** answer her question indirectly.

"You were awakening the other day, weren't you? At first, I thought that I was the cause of it all, with me feeding off of you. But onee-sama told me that it was not the case."

Yumi wouldn't want to admit to herself, but that thought did cross her mind. She wouldn't be sent to the manor if she weren't like them. It was a possibility...a reality, which she had started to consider.

"Do you not want to be like us? Like me?"

Yumi didn't. Those were her honest feelings. But she chose not to answer because it sounded to her like Sachiko-sama wanted them to be the same.

"That would be a waste if you weren't." Sachiko-sama continued with a smile.

And Yumi wished she could mirror it, but instead her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Why is that?"

"Because, you wouldn't be able to enjoy feeding off of me once we became soeurs."

Yumi was about to say that it was fine, the she didn't really want to drink blood and that she was happy being normal. But just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, the entirety of her senior's words finally sank in.

"What did you just say, Sachiko-sama?"

"Onee-sama…"

 _What?_

"You should address me as 'onee-sama'" Sachiko-sama smiled.

Yumi's eyes widened and her mouth hang open.

"That is, if you will accept my offer to be your soeur." The older girl then lifted the rosary with both her hands and held it up into a loop.

Yumi was still unmoving. Her mind was surely taking its time to process what her senior had just said.

"Yumi?"

Sachiko-sama's smile faltered and the way she said her name was laced with uncertainty.

It shook Yumi out of her daze.

"A-are you sure?"

Her senior giggled.

"Don't be silly, Yumi. Of course I'm sure. This is a sacred bond between people so I wouldn't be saying this if I was not certain about it."

To be sisters with a person like Sachiko-sama was like a dream for Yumi, so she was finding it difficult to wrap her head around the idea of being an imouto to her most beloved senior.

But now, as she met Sachiko-sama's gaze, looking unwaveringly at her and waiting for an answer, Yumi's heart started to settle down and accept that what was happening was indeed real. She was neither dreaming nor hallucinating. But there was still one thing…

"I do want to accept," she started "but you don't know me all that well yet, Sachiko-sama."

There were lot of things from her past that were still unknown, even to Yumi herself. There had always been a nagging feeling at the back of her head, telling her that whatever she had lost during that accident was part of her soul and identity that made her incomplete.

Sachiko-sama lowered her hands and approached Yumi.

"Earlier, you said that you liked me the most."

Yumi blushed upon remembering her bold confession earlier and nodded.

When Sachiko-sama was just a foot away from her, her eyes glowed blue and her fangs elongated.

"But when I look like this, do your feelings change?" She asked.

Yumi kept her gaze steady, to show her senior that she was not bothered in seeing this form of hers. She then shook her head and resolutely answered. "No. It doesn't."

"Why?"

"Because it is a part of you." And her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red when she continued to say, "And I like everything about you, Sachiko-sama."

"But you don't know _everything_ about me, Yumi."

Now that those same words were directed at her, she suddenly found herself speechless.

"But you will, if you just let me."

And she finally understood. They were no different from each other. Whatever secrets their pasts may have held, she had always been looking at the present Sachiko-sama. And she would be lying to herself if she rejected her now and not be a part of her beloved's senior future.

With that thought, Yumi's lips drew into a smile. And finally, in her mind and in her heart, she stopped hesitating…

"I understand."

Sachiko-sama mirrored her smile and lifted the rosary once more.

"Fukuzawa Yumi, can I put this around your neck?"

And there, in front of the statue of Maria-sama, surrounded by red roses, under a star-filled night and bathed in the bright moonlight… Yumi answered.

"Yes."

"Thank you."

Then the rosary that had been passed down from one generation of red rose to another, was pulled over her head and now weighed down on her chest.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter Preview:_**

 _"If you won't say anything, then we'd ask Yumi-chan instead." Youko-sama said._

 _"Oh yes, Yumi-chan is a good girl. Right, Yumi-chan?" Eriko-sama's eyes were twinkling in amusement._

 _"At least indulge us with the story of Sachiko feeding off of you. Stories about exchanging rosaries is something I've heard a dozen times. Hearing about how and when she fed from you is something that I find to be more interesting." Sei-sama said mischievously._

 _Sachiko shot a look to Yumi, warning her to not open her mouth and to not say anything._

 _But despite her warning…_

 _"I-" Yumi seemed to be breaking under pressure._

 _Everybody leaned forward, ready to hear what Yumi has to say._


	11. The Problem with Yumi

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** Let us allow Sachiko and Yumi a _short_ break to enjoy their time as soeurs before we get to the *difficult* part of Yumi's past ^_^. Pure Yumi & Sachiko moments coming up! Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 10:**

 **Soeur Stories (Part 1): The Problem with Yumi**

\- - o 0 o - -

Despite leaving Yumi's room early, the two of them were the last to arrive at dinner. The rosary ceremony took only a few minutes and their conversation before that didn't really consume the time she had allotted for her _planned proposal_. She had been nervous the whole time, despite being confident that Yumi would undoubtedly accept her rosary. Because there was always a slim possibility of Yumi saying 'no' due to the younger woman's self-depreciating attitude. Although, she was indeed surprised when Yumi bravely admitted that she liked her the most, which was probably a response to her obvious jealousy of their two white rose friends. She had to applaud Yumi for her perceptiveness back then. Or probably, she was just _too_ obvious that her petite soeur (she smiled at the thought that she could now call Yumi that) easily figured her out.

There was also a time during their conversation when it seemed to her like Yumi was starting to remember their past bit by bit. She was so tempted to remind the younger girl of the countless instances when she played the piano for her or even of the times when she taught Yumi how to play, but in the end, decided against it. As her father had said, it was better to let Yumi remember her past slowly…not forced.

So, no, the reason why they were late was not due to the discussion they had before the ceremony, it was the one they had _after_. They were already on their way back inside when Yumi kept on addressing her as 'Sachiko-sama'. The younger girl argued that she should be allowed at least a few days to get herself accustomed to addressing her properly, but Sachiko wouldn't allow her. She even threatened Yumi that she would not speak with her unless she started calling her 'onee-sama'. It was just so frustrating on Sachiko's part. And stubbornly sticking to her words, she continued to ignore Yumi even as they sat down on their respective chairs at the dinner table.

"Where were you? We've been waiting for some time, Sachiko." Sei-sama whined.

"Were you together?" Eriko-sama asked curiously.

It wasn't necessary for her to look beside her, to know that Yumi was blushing. Really, what would she do with her imouto? She was being too obvious. It was not like Sachiko wanted to keep _their relationship_ a secret. She just wanted to resolve their argument first before formally announcing the news to everyone.

"You were, weren't you?" Eriko-sama insisted.

And because Sachiko knew they would not be able to begin dinner before they satisfied their senior's curiosity, she decided to answer.

"Yes, we were out in the garden." She curtly replied.

However, upon her admittance, she also knew that her onee-sama would hint at the reason as to why she was there with Yumi. She just hoped her grande soeur would choose to not say anything.

But clearly, she assumed wrong.

"That's very rare of you, Sachiko. To go out in the garden at night." Youko-sama commented with a meaningful smile.

And before her onee-sama posed the question, she immediately pleaded. "Please onee-sama. Can we just eat now?"

"Oh, you're starving already, Sachiko? And you just had a satisfying drink from Yumi-chan a few days ago." Sei-sama said with a smirk as she leaned her elbow on the table and rested her chin on the palm of her hand.

Sachiko chose not to respond to that. She would not be dragged into this useless conversation, which was obviously a ploy for her to tell them everything that happened between her and Yumi.

And just as she was thinking of a way to get them off their backs, Yumi timidly said.

"I am actually quite hungry too, Sei-sama" came Yumi's shy voice. "I haven't really eaten anything since last Saturday."

Upon hearing this, all thoughts of teasing them and coercing them into sharing their stories seemed to have left everyone's minds. And Sachiko could not blame them, because she too felt guilty for forgetting that Yumi had been asleep close to 48 hours and haven't had a proper meal since she passed out.

At that moment, she wanted to forget the fact that she was irritated with Yumi and just reach under the table to give the younger girl's hand a squeeze. It was her first day as a onee-sama and she was already failing…miserably.

"I'm sorry, Yumi-chan." Sei-sama sincerely said.

"Yes, please go ahead and eat." Youko-sama urged. "I apologize too, Yumi-chan."

Yumi offered a smile before picking up her spoon and started eating her soup.

Like Sachiko-sama, Yumi was well aware of the route the conversation was going to take. She was so sure that they would be teased to no end, until it came to the point wherein they would have to share their story. To Yumi, it wasn't really an issue to admit that they were soeurs already. However, it seemed to her like Sachiko-sama wasn't willing to share the detail that they'd already performed the rosary ceremony. Or probably, at least until they resolved their argument. And that was an argument that was solely her fault. Yumi had wanted to address her soeur properly, but somehow, it was just too difficult and embarrassing.

She sighed, and the person across from her seemed to have noticed.

"Are you okay, Yumi-san?" Shimako-san asked.

Yumi nodded her head smiled reassuringly.

But her friend was not satisfied and continued to ask, "Is it because the meat is too difficult for you to eat? We could ask the cook to prepare some rice and miso soup, which would be easier for your stomach to take. Or we could just ask for some more soup and bread."

Yumi wanted to say that her 'sighing' was not due to the food. But she chose to just agree because what Shimako-san said was also true, her stomach would indeed be having a difficulty in digesting meat after not eating for nearly two days.

"Yes please. Thank you, Shimako-san."

But just when Shimako-san was about to call a servant, Sachiko-sama interjected.

"Let me do that for her." And Sachiko-sama stood up and spoke with a servant standing by the wall.

Her seniors exchanged glances, but chose not to say anything, probably in consideration of her. But surely, tomorrow dinner, they would not be able to escape their questioning and teasing.

Sachiko-sama soon returned and continued eating.

"Thank you, Sachiko-sama." she muttered.

But the older woman just gave her a cold shoulder.

It was somewhat painful for Yumi, to be ignored like this by Sachiko-sama. But since it was her fault, she had no choice but to bear with it.

Yumi proceeded to eat in silence and no one spoke until after dinner was over. Everyone was beginning to stand up when Sei-sama approached Yumi.

"Let me escort you to your room, Yumi-chan." The older woman said, as she took hold of her hand.

And from the corner of her eye, Yumi could see the irritation starting to line Sachiko-sama's face.

"Do whatever you like." Sachiko-sama said before walking away.

Yumi froze. Sachiko-sama was now angry with her. Not just irritated and frustrated, but genuinely angry. And she didn't want to end their first night as soeurs this way.

Sei-sama continued to walk, dragging Yumi with her. But Yumi's feet refused to move.

No. She would not allow Sachiko-sama to walk away and to remain angry with her. She knew she could just come to her room later and try to reason out with her, but panic and worry already overcame her heart and Yumi was not thinking rationally anymore. So even though all of her friends were still in the room, Yumi shook out of Sei-sama's grasp and rushed to Sachiko-sama.

"Yumi-chan?" Sei-sama asked curiously.

But Yumi still proceeded to approach Sachiko-sama and called out to her.

"Sachiko-sama, wait."

But the older woman just kept on walking, obviously pretending not to hear her.

At this, the four other people in the room exchanged glances. They remained standing where they were and just watched the drama before them unfold.

"This will be interesting" Eriko-sama whispered to Youko-sama.

But Yumi didn't hear her because she was starting to panic as Sachiko-sama neared the door.

 _I can do this._

She then squared her shoulders, lowered her chin, balled her fist to her sides and called out in a quiet voice.

"O-o-onee-sama"

Despite how weak her voice had been, she was clearly heard by all the people present.

The whole room was enveloped in silence.

Sachiko-sama stopped in her tracks, her back unmistakably straighter.

Youko-sama raised her eyebrows.

Eriko-sama muttered, "I knew it."

Shimako-san smiled.

Sei-sama smirked victoriously.

But to Yumi, it was as if it was only her and Sachiko-sama present in the whole room, as she patiently waited for a reaction.

"I can't hear you."

But she clearly did.

Still, since it was asked of her, Yumi gathered her resolved and tried again. But this time, it came a little louder than she had intended.

"Onee-sama!"

Sachiko-sama then turned and faced her with a brilliant smile on her beautiful face. "Yes?"

Cheers erupted from around them.

"I knew you were already soeurs!" Eriko-sama exclaimed.

"Congratulations" Shimako-san greeted.

"Finally!" Sei-sama said.

"It would have been better if you announced it properly. Although, I did enjoy the show." Youko-sama said as she approached her imouto and gave her a hug.

"I think what they did was a much better way of informing us, Youko." Eriko-sama started. "And those adorable blushes on your two soeurs faces are priceless. Even Sachiko blushes once in a while, huh?"

"Only when Yumi-chan is involved." Sei-sama commented.

The happiness of finally being able to hear those words from her little sister's lips filled Sachiko with happiness. But upon realizing that they did just put on a show made her feel embarrassed. Yumi may have lost herself in the moment and temporarily forgot that they had an audience, and unexpectedly, so did Sachiko.

But now, amidst the teasing of their friends, she was starting to get irritated again.

"Would you please stop it with the teasing?"

"Oh, you're not getting away that easily, Sachiko." Sei-sama said.

"We were considering giving you two a day to rest, in consideration of Yumi-chan. But this show just made us want to hear more." Youko-sama said, obviously delighted.

"Come on, give us some service." Eriko-sama jeered.

"Why would we give the onee-sama's some service?!" Sachiko-sama said heatedly. She was not the type of person to be toyed with like this.

But since she clearly was no match for the onee-samas, her outburst had not been effective.

"If you won't say anything, then we'd ask Yumi-chan instead." Youko-sama said.

"Oh yes, Yumi-chan is a good girl. Right, Yumi-chan?" Eriko-sama's eyes were twinkling in amusement.

"At least indulge us with the story of Sachiko _feeding_ off of you. Stories about exchanging rosaries is something I've heard a dozen times. Hearing about how and when she fed from you is something that I find to be more interesting." Sei-sama said mischievously.

Sachiko shot a look to Yumi, warning her to not open her mouth and to not say anything.

But despite her warning…

"I-" Yumi seemed to be breaking under pressure.

Everybody leaned forward, ready to hear what Yumi has to say.

But Sachiko would not allow it.

"Enough!" Her voice was laced with hysteria as she grabbed Yumi's wrist and dragged her out of the room.

She could hear their friends calling out to them but thankfully, no one followed them as they rushed to the stairs, up the steps and onto the left wing where their rooms were situated.

She only released Yumi when they were already in front of the younger woman's bedroom door.

Yumi was then scolded and instructed to be more resilient even when pressured by their seniors. It would really be embarrassing if they found out that a strong-willed person like her had been effectively tempted by a timid person like Yumi. Also, whenever she thinks of the time she fed from Yumi, she still could not stop herself from getting flustered. It was a very intimate and unforgettable experience for her, and she secretly hoped that it had been the same for Yumi.

Call her stubborn, but that one particular memory was something that she wold never ever share with anyone.

\- - o 0 o - -

The next day, Sachiko made a rare trip to the newspaper's clubroom. She disliked the fact that most of the articles in their school paper was about them, and she still could not understand why the students found their lives to be interesting ( _don't they have their own lives to think about_?). But still, the fact remained that she needed to make an announcement that Yumi was now her soeur. It was better for the news to come from her own lips and using her own words, rather than just from baseless assumptions. And true enough, Minako-san was more than happy to publish the news. The Lillian paper is released every Wednesday and today's already Tuesday. Minako-san was even considering stopping the on-going printing so they could change the front page. There was no need for that of course, such was Sachiko's opinion. But really, whether they make it into the front page or just a small article in the corner, she didn't care. And if they chose to change this week's paper, make a special issue or publish it next week, was the least of her concerns.

So with that out of the way, she left the clubroom. She had more things to think about and most of them had something to do with her now sister, Yumi.

The fact that the other girl was able to start calling her 'onee-sama' was a huge relief. She knew Yumi didn't like being the center of attention very much and have remained to be an 'unknown first year' until the newspaper would be released, contrary to her, whom always lived a life under the scrutinizing eyes of the society.

'Ogasawara' is a difficult name to bear, and something that her family had prepared her for since the day she could walk. But it didn't mean that she liked it. So the day that she _turned_ and moved to the manor was like a breath of fresh air. Aside for the summer vacations she spent with Yumi, living in the manor with her friends was the next best thing for Sachiko. It had been difficult of course, to be separated from her family. But somehow, it made her feel freer. Her housemates saw her as herself, not as an Ogasawara, just as Sachiko. And now that Yumi was her soeur and she was starting a new life with her, it felt like everything in her life was perfect and she had nothing to worry about.

Well, that was supposed to be the case. Because the said younger girl was unknowingly giving her a headache. Surely, it was unintentional on Yumi's part to irritate her.

Like that one time…

She was already in her room when she remembered that she should inform Yumi that they have a Yamayurikai meeting during lunch break the next day. So after finishing her homework, she went to the younger girl's bedroom. And she was beyond surprised when it was Shimako who opened the door for her.

"Sachiko-sama, good evening." Shimako greeted. "Is there anything you need from Yumi-san?"

A vein twitched in her temple at the younger girl's calmness. To Sachiko, it appeared like the younger girl was giving off the impression that it was the most natural thing in the world for her to be there. But still, Sachiko tried to maintain a calm demeanour when she asked, "Where's Yumi?"

"Oh, she's in the bathroom."

 _Taking a bath while Shimako is out in her room? What is Yumi thinking?!_ Sachiko wanted to shout.

But she didn't, instead she calmly replied. "Then I would wait for her."

Shimako quickly stepped aside to let her in. "Yes, of course."

She was only a few feet from the door, which was still held open by the younger girl, when she asked, "How about you, what was it that you needed from Yumi?"

"Yumi-san and I were assigned as partners for a project. We agreed to discuss it tonight, since we didn't have enough time to talk about it at school due to our Yamayurikai work. But when I arrived, she was just going in the bath, so I volunteered to wait for her."

"I see. Then I will ask onee-sama to excuse you and Yumi from tomorrow's meeting. There's not much work to do anyway."

Shimako seems to have hinted at her apparent irritation, as the younger girl's face donned a thoughtful expression before quietly saying, "I see. Then I shall take my leave and just speak with Yumi-san tomorrow."

"Yes. I will inform Yumi that you just left." She said with finality as she stood and watched Shimako left the room.

Sachiko then sat down on Yumi's bed and massaged her temples. And soon enough, Yumi stepped out of the bath.

"Ah, onee-sama! Where is Shimako-san?"

Upon seeing how Yumi looked, Sachiko swallowed down hard and unconsciously pushed down her supposed response to Yumi's question.

Yumi's hair was dripping wet and her skin was so pale and partially opaque, probably due to the cold shower she just had, that the veins beneath her skin were slightly visible. And the small, involuntary trembles of her body, due to the cold no doubt, made her look like a wet little kitten that Sachiko wanted to hug and bite.

Sachiko shook her head to clear her improper thoughts.

"Why are you dipping wet? And a cold shower at night?" Sachiko almost exclaimed.

"I was suddenly in the mood for a cold shower, onee-sama. Also, I forgot my towel outside." Yumi shyly admitted. "So I don't have anything to wipe myself with."

Sachiko sighed. If it were Shimako out here waiting for Yumi, what would the other girl's reaction be?

Sachiko shook her head again in exasperation.

\- - o 0 o - -

Sometime early June, another incident happened…

It was a few hours before midnight when Sachiko suddenly felt thirsty. It had been almost three weeks since her last _feeding_ from Yumi and her thirst was starting to bother her again. So that night, she decided to go to the kitchen and have some warm blood.

Asking for blood, whether from Youko-sama or Yumi, was something she was still hesitant about. And since her onee-sama knew about this, the older woman was the one who always offered it to her, except for that one time before she overcame her fear of _draining_ Yumi. But somehow, her onee-sama hadn't offered yet, probably thinking that she would now be drinking from her petite soeur. But she just couldn't ask Yumi somehow.

So that night, she decided to settle for her usual animal blood and probably some hot chocolate afterwards. But just as she was about to enter the kitchen, she heard voices.

"This is dangerous, Sei-sama. I would be scolded by onee-sama if she found out about this."

 _Yumi?_

"Then don't tell her. Just hold still, I wouldn't want to hurt you."

 _Sei-sama!_

Sachiko finally decided that she just couldn't stand there eavesdropping. She pushed the kitchen door a little harder than necessary, to get the attention of the two people already inside.

"What…" the question was caught in her throat when she saw them.

"Sachiko" Sei-sama greeted amusedly.

"Onee-sama!" Yumi was flustered and quickly moved away from the kitchen counter, letting go of what she was holding.

Sachiko was flustered. _What was I thinking?_

But upon seeing the teasing look on their senior's eyes, her blood started to boil.

 _No, it was Sei-sama's intention to tease me like this._ She mused angrily.

"I was suddenly in the mood for some apples and I asked Yumi-chan to hold them for me, while I cut them up into bite size pieces." Sei-sama smirked deviously.

 _She must have seen me coming through the partially opened door and_ _put on this little show._

"Yumi-chan was moving around so much." Their senior continued to explain.

"Because you were so close. Also, you almost cut my finger." Yumi reasoned.

"I would never _intentionally_ do such a thing do such a thing, Yumi-chan." Sei-sama feigned innocence.

"And why don't you cut your own apples? You have two hands. Why ask for Yumi's help?" Sachiko replied heatedly.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Sachiko was shooting daggers at their senior when Yumi suddenly blurted, "Ah onee-sama, is there anything you need? For you to come down in the kitchen this late?"

Sachiko turned to look at Yumi.

"I just completed my homework and I went down to make myself some hot chocolate. Do you need some hot chocolate too? I heard from Youko-sama that you liked having one before you go to bed." Yumi continued, obviously a desperate attempt to cool down her temper.

She exhaled audibly. She was just being teased by their senior and she should not have fallen for that.

She then walked towards Yumi and answered, "Yes, Yumi. I would like some hot chocolate. I can actually share with you how onee-sama and I make them."

She sighed. She should probably warn Yumi to be wary of Sei-sama. Or better yet, she should ask Yumi to be more perceptive as to the intentions of their eccentric senior.

She shook her head. What would she do with her gullible petite soeur?

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter Preview:**_

 _"It's been a month since we became soeurs." Sachiko-sama began._

 _'Are monthsaries supposed to be celebrated among soeurs?' Yumi mused._

 _"And a month since I…" her onee-sama swallowed hard before continuing in a smaller voice, "…fed from you."_

 _It took a few seconds before it clicked into Yumi's mind._

 _Ah_

 _"And with how you were yesterday, and even today, I think it was just so cruel of you to tempt me like that."_


	12. Life with Sachiko-sama

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 11:**

 **Soeur Stories (Part 2): Life with Sachiko-sama**

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi was on cloud nine when the reality that she was now Sachiko-sama's petite soeur finally sunk in. It was an amazing feeling, to be the only person at school to be able to call her 'onee-sama', and to be considered as an important person by her most beloved senior.

But Yumi also knew that in exchange, she would have to give up her once peaceful life at school. Sachiko-sama was a member of the Yamayurikai. And not only that, she was considered as the Star of Lillian, and probably the most adored student at school. So surely, she would not be able to avoid being in the spotlight.

And true enough, a one-page special edition was soon released by the Lillian Newspaper and it contained only one piece of news, that Ogasawara Sachiko-sama took in an _unknown first year_ named 'Fukuzawa Yumi-san' for her petite soeur.

There were mixed reactions from the student body. Her classmates of course were shocked, because they had never seen her with Sachiko-sama even once. But they congratulated her nonetheless. Her closest friends in class pushed her for details, and that in the end, she wasn't able to keep the secret that she was living in the manor with the student council officers. No one told her to keep it a secret anyway, it was just her timidity of being grouped with those wonderful people that made her decide to not say anything about her living arrangements. And the moment they found out about it, no one seemed to question why she was Sachiko-sama's soeur any longer. Because it was as if it was a given, that anyone living in the manor was bound to be a member of the Yamayurikai. And for that, Yumi was grateful.

Adjusting to being a Yamayurikai member was somewhat easier. All of the other officers were kind enough to teach her, only Sachiko-sama remained to be strict whenever she made mistakes. But it wasn't really an issue for her, because she had learned to love everything about her onee-sama. However there was one particular incident that took quite some time for her to figure out and learn how to deal with. Her seniors' even (indirectly) helped her in handling her stubborn onee-sama.

It all started one Tuesday afternoon, a month after they became soeurs. She was watching the television with Sei-sama when her senior unexpectedly invited her to play a game.

"Say Yumi-chan, would you like to play tag?"

Yumi was so engrossed in what she was watching, so with her eyes still glued to the TV, she answered, "No."

"If not tag, then what game would you like to play?"

"I don't want to play, Sei-sama. Let's just watch TV. This show is interesting." She continued to answer disinterestedly.

"I don't think you have much of a choice." And at that moment, her senior started tickling her side. Yumi squirmed, laughed, and begged for her senior to stop. She fell off of the couch and on to the floor, but still, her senior did not release her.

"S-Sei-sama, please…" Yumi begged again.

"Okay, I will give you a break." And the assaulting hands stopped.

Yumi pulled herself up, "geez, what are we, kindergarteners?"

But her senior pretended not to hear her, "That was just a warm-up. I'm giving you a chance to run now, Yumi-chan." Sei-sama said with a smirk.

"What?"

And not a second later, Sei-sama smirked mischievously and wiggled her fingers threatening at her.

And so Yumi ran, away from her threatening senior. However, she was immediately caught and the tickling began again. It only stopped minutes later when Sachiko-sama arrived in the room, looking very much surprised to find Yumi sprawled on the floor, sweaty, heaving and very flustered. Meanwhile, Sei-sama was on top of her, with both her knees on either side of Yumi and with both her hands tickling her middle.

"What do you think you're doing, Sei-sama?"

"Oh, Sachiko. I was just playing a fun game with Yumi-chan."

"Yumi doesn't seem to be enjoying the game." Sachiko huffed in annoyance.

"Onee-sama, help!" Yumi pleaded.

"Please stop this childish game of yours, Sei-sama." Sachiko-sama placed her hands on her hips and took an intimidating position.

"Okay, I had enough fun anyway."

Sei-sama conceded much too easily than Yumi had expected.

"Do you need something from me or Yumi-chan?" Sei-sama asked. But based on the look on their senior's face, she didn't look the least bit surprised at Sachiko-sama's arrival.

"Onee-sama asked me to get Yumi."

"I see."

Their senior then stood up and extended her hand to help Yumi up as well. But Yumi did not take the offered hand and chose to stand up on her own.

"Aww, is Yumi-chan angry?"

"Yes I am." Yumi pouted.

Sei-sama then leaned forward and whispered into Yumi's ear, "I readied you for Sachiko."

Yumi didn't understand what Sei-sama meant, but for some reason, she found her onee-sama's behaviour even more perplexing.

Sei-sama left and closed the door behind her, leaving Yumi with her onee-sama behind.

"Thank you for saving me, onee-sama." Yumi started.

But to her surprise, Sachiko-sama took a step back, bit her lower lip, averted her gaze and swallowed hard, before she then turned away from her.

"I'm going to take a cold shower" Sachiko-sama whispered more to herself than for Yumi to hear.

Then with a louder voice she said, "Onee-sama is in her room, she needs something from you." And with that, Sachiko-sama left. Leaving Yumi utterly confused.

…

The next day, Yumi was out on the track field, running with her classmates during their physical educations class. At a distance, she spotted her onee-sama. She was also wearing her PE uniform, and together with another classmate, they were carrying volleyballs.

Sachiko-sama looked her way and she waved. And despite the distance, Yumi could clearly see her onee-sama did it again. She bit her lip, quickly averted her gaze and…

 _Did onee-sama just blush?_

They had been soeurs for more than a month and Yumi was starting to get to know her onee-sama's habits and behaviour better. But this reaction was something she hadn't seen before. So she told herself that she would speak with her onee-sama during their lunch break, just to know if there was something bothering her.

But to her surprise, it had been Sachiko-sama who went to see her first. The bell signalling the end of the classes had not rung yet when Sachiko-sama, still in her PE uniform, approached Yumi on the track field. At that time, she was sitting on the side with her classmates trying to catch her breath. She had just finished her turn for the 100 meter dash and their teacher was busy timing her other classmates run, so the other students were allowed to rest or roam around the field.

"Yumi, do you have a minute?" Sachiko-sama asked.

Her two friends that were with her greeted her onee-sama with a 'gokigenyou' before deciding to stand up and give them some space. But Sachiko-sama immediately stopped them and asked Yumi to come with her instead.

This got Yumi curious because classes weren't over yet, and if she went with her onee-sama, then she would technically be skipping class. But in response to her dilemma, the bell suddenly rang. It seemed her onee-sama's timing had been perfect.

"Now, can you come with me please, Yumi?" Sachiko-sama asked again, but this time, with a hint of urgency.

She wanted to ask if she could at least change back to her uniform, but with her onee-sama's quick hurried steps, Yumi knew that she should not.

They walked in silence until they reached the rose mansion. Sachiko-sama went inside, but instead of heading for the stairs, she walked towards the first floor storage room, opened the door and held it for Yumi. She gave her onee-sama an inquisitive look but all she got was a silent order to come inside and not to ask any questions. And so she obliged. Sachiko-sama entered after her and closed the door behind her.

Yumi was thinking what she had done wrong this time. Surely, her onee-sama had called her to scold her either for a Yamayurikai work she had not completed satisfactorily, a task she totally forgot to do or because she had unknowingly exhibited her inattentiveness again. Either way, the only reason Yumi could think of was that she did something wrong.

But was her sin this grave for Sachiko-sama to scold her in a place where surely no one would interrupt or see them?

But still, if she was in the wrong, no matter if she didn't even know what it was yet, it was better to start with an apology.

"I'm sorry, onee-sama."

"What are you apologizing for?"

Despite the dimness of the room, she could still make out her onee-sama's troubled (not angry or irritated) face.

"Am I that cruel of an onee-sama for you to only consider that I brought you here to scold you?"

"No. I'm sorry."

"I should be the one feeling bad because of how cruel you are." Sachiko-sama said in a low unsure voice.

"I would never…W-what do you mean, onee-sama?"

"I-" the older student's voice faltered and it was making Yumi more and more curious as to what's causing this behaviour from her onee-sama's.

"It's been a month since we became soeurs." Sachiko-sama began.

 _Are monthsaries supposed to be celebrated among soeurs?_ Yumi mused.

"And a month since I…" her onee-sama swallowed hard before continuing in a smaller voice, "…fed from you."

It took a few seconds before it clicked into Yumi's mind.

 _Ah_

"And with how you were yesterday, and even today, I think it was just so cruel of you to tempt me like that."

 _What?_

 _Oh!_

With those hints, even a scatterbrain like Yumi finally understood what her onee-sama's dilemma was. And her conversation with Youko-sama yesterday made it easier for her to realize this.

…

" _Yumi-chan, has Sachiko fed from you yet since you became soeurs?"_

 _The topic of feeding was something that made Yumi flustered._

" _Not yet." She shyly answered._

" _Then I will ask a favour from you, Yumi-chan. Despite Sachiko's confident and strong personality, she is very timid and stubborn when it came to requesting for blood. Also, she was so used to getting everything she wanted without asking. So even in our two years of being soeurs, I was always the first one to initiate and offer it to her. I've spoiled her far too much."_

 _Youko-sama sighed._

" _But you can help her overcome it."_

" _How?"_

" _No matter how much she hints at it that she's thirsty, which I think she will not do anyway, please don't offer your blood to her. Instead, let her admit that she needs your blood. Let her ask for it. Can you do that, Yumi-chan?"_

 _Yumi was quiet for a moment._

" _For Sachiko?"_

 _Yumi met her senior's gaze and finally agreed, "Yes, Youko-sama."_

…

Yesterday, Sachiko-sama saw her after Sei-sama had tickled her so much and today, she saw her while she was running in the track field. In both instances, her heart rate was high, her skin was warm and most importantly, blood was pulsing so strongly in her veins and so close to her skin.

At this realization, Yumi couldn't help but think that both Sei-sama's actions and Youko-sama's words were not coincidental.

So Yumi, true to her promise to Youko-sama, chose to feign innocence and stopped herself from offering her blood. Instead, she just chose to apologize.

 _For Sachiko-sama…_

"I'm sorry, onee-sama. It wasn't my intention."

"Then…"

Yumi was stopping herself from smiling at the obvious hesitance and difficulty of Sachiko-sama in saying those words.

"Can I…"

 _You can do it onee-sama._

"I mean…would it be okay if I…"

Yumi bit her lip, preventing the strong upward tug on her lips.

"…can I drink from you please?"

And finally, Yumi allowed herself to smile, "Yes of course, onee-sama."

Her onee-sama beamed, looking clearly relieved.

 _Mission accomplished, Youko-sama!_

"Then I guess we should go home early today, onee-sama." she continued to say.

"What do you mean?"

"So you can _feed_ as soon as possible."

Sachiko-sama's smile faltered and her uncomfortable expression returned. "I was actually thinking of having it…now."

Yumi was dumbfounded. With the way Sachiko-sama scolded her for allowing Shimako-san to taste her blood _on school grounds_ , she never expected this from her onee-sama. And not only that, Youko-sama also scolded Shimako-san during dinner that time. So Yumi thought that it was an unwritten rule that _feeding_ should not be done _at school_. And Sachiko-sama was not the type would deliberately disobey rules.

Yumi sighed. If only her onee-sama was not this stubborn and just succumbed to her hunger last night, then it wouldn't have come to this.

"I'm sorry for misunderstanding, onee-sama." Yumi finally said. She then angled her head to the side, "Please go ahead."

Yumi was still uncomfortable to do something like this, especially while at school, but her onee-sama needed her…her blood.

Yumi already had her eyes closed, so she didn't see as Sachiko-sama swallowed hard before allowing her incisors to elongate to its full length. She then held Yumi by the shoulders, turned her around and pulled her close so Yumi's back was resting against the older woman's chest.

"It is better if I hold you like this..." Sachiko-sama whispered.

Yumi blushed when she felt the older woman's abundant chest on her back. And as if that wasn't enough to make Yumi flustered, her onee-sama's left arm snaked around her middle, while her right hand crawled across her chest and settled on her left shoulder.

"…in case your knees give away." Her Onee-sama added.

Sachiko-sama then pulled her even closer.

Warmth spread to Yumi's cheeks and neck upon realizing how intimate their position was.

"But I promise I won't drink too much. Just a few mouthfuls." Sachiko-sama whispered in her ear.

Yumi shyly brought her hands up and held on to her onee-sama's arms. And it was not too long after when she felt Sachiko-sama's warm breath against her skin, followed by an elating sensation as the older woman licked and gently nipped the sensitive part of her neck. Sachiko-sama hadn't even bitten her yet, but her knees were already trembling as a warm feeling shot through her insides in anticipation.

"Brace yourself, Yumi" Sachiko-sama warned.

And not a second later, she sank her fangs into her neck.

Despite the warning, Yumi still gasped in surprise. She felt a sharp piercing pain for a moment, which immediately subsided and was quickly replaced by a warm numbing sensation. Yumi's tense shoulders sagged, her body slowly relaxed and she comfortably leaned back against her onee-sama's warm body, feeling the older woman's chest rise and fall with every breath. She could hear her onee-sama's seductive moan with each strong and steady intake of her blood. Yumi felt like she was being drugged as she slipped into a daze, marvelling at the inexplicable sensation not only on her neck, but all over her body.

She didn't know how many seconds or minutes had passed. And to say that Yumi was enjoying being like this with her onee-sama would be an understatement.

However, against her wishes and desires, the wonderful feeling quickly stopped. She then felt another piercing pain as her onee-sama withdrew her fangs, not forgetting to lick and gently suck at her open wounds one last time, before pulling away from her neck.

Sachiko-sama exhaled audibly.

"Are you okay, Yumi?" came her onee-sama's voice from behind her.

This shook Yumi out of her daze and immediately answered, "Yes", feeling like she needed to reassure her sister that she was fine.

But as soon as the words escaped her lips, the tiredness and nausea set it, and her knees finally gave away. Thankfully, Sachiko-sama was there to catch her. But unlike the last time, she did not pass out.

They stayed in that position for a while, with Sachiko-sama supporting her weight. And at one point, her onee-sama even rested her head against Yumi's hair.

"I guess I need a little more control on my feeding. I think I drank too fast. Or probably, I drew too hard." The older woman said in a contemplative voice, before continuing to say "I cannot have you fainting whenever I feed from you, Yumi."

"I just need to drink more cranberry juice and regularly take vitamins." Yumi answered, enjoying the comfort of her sister's embrace.

"Yes, that too." Sachiko-sama replied with a smile.

She remained in her onee-sama's arms until she started feeling a little better. She then tried to stand on her own two feet, and when she was sure that her knees would not buckle, she gently pulled away from the older woman's embrace.

"I think I'm okay now, onee-sama." she whispered.

They walked back to their own respective classrooms soon after. But since Yumi was still somewhat dizzy, she only remembered to change back into her uniform when she was almost at the first year corridor. So she had to retrace back her steps to the locker room. Also, the warning bell signalling lunch was over just rung, which meant that Yumi missed eating her lunch entirely. So she spent the rest of the afternoon groggy and dizzy, but she decided to bear with it. It was for her beloved onee-sama after all.

That afternoon, Sachiko-sama surprised her yet again when Yumi found her standing outside of her classroom the moment classes were over. She was in fine form, a complete recovery from her pale appearance earlier. She was already back to her usual confident and commanding demeanor, that Yumi thought that the Sachiko-sama who dragged her to the rose mansion earlier, was just someone that her imagination had conjured up.

She was pulled to the side, before she was handed a juice pack and some pills. Sachiko-sama then looked at her expectantly, silently ordering her to drink it at that very moment. And Yumi, being the obedient little sister that she was, did what was expected for her.

"Finish up, Yumi. We're going home." Sachiko-sama said after a few minutes.

Some of her classmates exiting the room gave the sisters quick glances, and Yumi even heard Katsura-san comment on how beautifully sweet their soeur relationship was.

"I thought we have a meeting?" Yumi asked, ignoring her classmate's comment, but was still unable to fight her impending blush.

"I asked onee-sama if we could skip it, just this once."

Yumi looked at her onee-sama questioningly.

"It was their fault anyway." Sachiko-sama said stubbornly.

It seems like Sachiko-sama figured it out too. So Yumi didn't ask for any more details.

"And I don't like that they are scheming against us like that." Sachiko-sama huffed.

Youko-sama must have known that their plan was a success, otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to Sachiko-sama's request that easily.

Yumi's face was drawn to a smile as they walked towards the faculty parking where their ride awaited. Despite the feelings of tiredness and light headedness, which usually accompanied _feeding_ her onee-sama, Yumi was feeling extremely happy to have helped her onee-sama in overcoming her discomfort in asking for blood.

So as she joined her hands to pray in front of Maria-sama, she didn't wish for 'peaceful days', just like she always did before. She was now Rosa Chinensis en bouton's petite soeur, and her life was far from that of a normal student's. But still, despite the work and responsibilities it entailed, so long as Sachiko-sama is always there beside her, then there was nothing more she could ask for.

 _Please Maria-sama, I hope my life with Sachiko-sama never ends._

\- - o 0 o - -

They were close to the end of the first term and Yumi was preparing for an exam that day. She was studying in the library alone, until Sei-sama came and offered to help. Of course her initial reaction was to decline. There was no telling what kind of help her senior would offer, but in the end, she was forced to agree. Sei-sama could be very persuasive at times, not to mention threatening and intimidating, if she chooses to.

And just as Yumi expected, what started out as a simple and innocent tutoring session turned out into something more…daring.

It was not long after when Sachiko-sama entered the library, looking for Yumi.

"Yumi"

It was only the initial greeting, but her onee-sama's voice already sounded stern. But Yumi couldn't blame the older woman, because by the way it looked, it was difficult to infer that it was just a study session.

"Ah, Sachiko. I am helping Yumi-chan to study."

"So why are you sitting so close to Yumi and why is your hand on Yumi's side?"

"We are studying the muscles of the body." Sei-sama answered cheerfully, "Would you like to join us?"

Thankfully, their senior withdrew her hand and scooted a little farther from her. They were sitting on carpeted floor, with a fish bowl in the middle.

Sachiko-sama seemed to be hesitating for a moment, before she eventually sighed and decided to sit beside Yumi. And she just couldn't help but admire how elegant her onee-sama looked, even as she sat down on the floor.

But upon noticing Sei-sama's teasing glance, Yumi quickly averted her gaze. She was lucky that their senior decided to keep her mouth shut and to not tease her further.

"Anyway, the rules are simple. We pick one paper from the fishbowl and read out loud what 'muscle' it is. If Yumi-chan knows the answer, she will touch that part on our body. But if she doesn't, then we will be the one to touch hers."

"Why do we have to touch it? We can just ask her and let her point it out on her own body?" Sachiko-sama asked heatedly.

To Yumi, it appeared like her onee-sama was being too protective of her again. And secretly, she feels happy whenever her onee-sama acts this way for her.

Sei-sama shook her head dramatically and said, "Sachiko, Sachiko. If we really want Yumi-chan to memorize it as quickly as possible, we need to do this."

"Just admit that you wanted to have fun at Yumi's expense." Sachiko-sama huffed.

Sei-sama then donned a thoughtful expression, "Well, that too. But really, it would be helpful if Yumi-chan associates the word with something memorable. Like for example," she then turned to Yumi, "when I tickle you on your side Yumi, which muscle am I touching?"

" _ **Oblique?"**_

"Right! See what I mean Sachiko?"

Sachiko-sama sighed and faced her, "Is this really okay for you, Yumi?"

She blushed as the thought of touching Sachiko-sama, or being touched by her onee-sama, came to her mind. So when she answered, she wasn't able to stop herself from stuttering.

"Y-yes, onee-sama."

Sachiko-sama looked at her for a moment, probably judging if she was telling the truth.

"If you say so." Her onee-sama eventually said.

"I think we have a problem though."

"What are you starting now, Sei-sama?" Sachiko-sama asked.

"Yumi was afraid to make mistakes when it was just the two of us because she didn't want to be touched by me. But if it's you…" Sei-sama trailed off.

"Yumi would not do that, to intentionally make a mistake. What do you think of my imouto?!" Sachiko-sama asked heatedly.

"Okay, calm down. I was only stating the obvious."

"I won't do it, Sei-sama. I want to memorize this and get a good grade on my exams." Yumi defended. Really, there were no such improper thoughts in her head… _right?_

"There is also the incentive of having the chance to touch Sachiko." Sei-sama smirked meaningfully.

"Again, please stop making these inappropriate implications, Sei-sama."

"Yes, yes. Okay, I go first."

And before any retort was said, she picked out one small piece of paper, opened it and read it out loud for Yumi.

" _ **Trapezius"**_

Yumi reached to touch the curve between the older woman's shoulder and neck.

"Correct."

Sei-sama then looked at Sachiko, indicating that it was her turn.

" _ **Rectus Abdominis"**_

Yumi thought for a moment and imagined the Muscle Diagram chart in her book. And upon realizing what the muscle was, her cheeks instantly turned red.

 _It could have been something easier, like the 'Triceps' or the 'Biceps'. Even the 'Calves' would be acceptable._

"You don't know, Yumi-chan?"

"I-I do!" She exclaimed before scooting towards her onee-sama. Her hands were shaking as she slowly reached out.

"It's fine, Yumi. You don't need to feel embarrassed about touching me." Sachiko-sama was trying to make her feel at ease.

"You're not the least bit hesitant about touching Sei-sama earlier, were you?"

 _But it's just Sei-sama!_ Yumi wanted to reason.

Instead she just nodded her head and touched the older woman's abdomen, with her palm, flat on Sachiko-sama's abs. Her hand lingered, much longer than when she touched their senior earlier.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Sei-sama commented.

Yumi quickly withdrew her hand and tentatively looked at her onee-sama's face. There was a gentle reassuring smile on her face.

"Okay, me next."

" _ **Bicep"**_

It was relatively easy and considered 'safe' to touch, so she was happy even as she reached out to touch their senior's upper arm.

" _ **Sternocleidomastoid"**_

 _What? I don't remember where that is._ Yumi mused.

She thought hard for a moment, before finally admitting, "I'm sorry onee-sama, I really don't know."

"Oh, that's actually quite easy to remember."

"Yes, Yumi. That's where we…" Sachiko-sama faltered.

"…feed." Sei-sama finished.

Sachiko-sama then extended her hand and touched Yumi's neck. Her touch was cold and if Yumi was not mistaken, slightly trembling.

Sei-sama was just quietly enjoying the show and was not saying any snide remarks.

" _ **Deltoid"**_

"Ooh, another safe one, Yumi-chan."

"Of course." She said happily before touching the part between their senior's shoulder and upper arm, where the shoulder joints are located.

Yumi then turned expectantly at her onee-sama. It was her turn next.

She smiled at Yumi before drawing a piece of paper. But upon reading the contents, her smile immediately faltered. And to Yumi's confusion, her onee-sama bowed her head, effectively hiding her expression from Yumi's curious gaze.

"I guess we should stop here." Sachiko-sama said in a quiet voice.

"Why? What did you get Sachiko?"

And at that moment…

"There you are. It's time for dinner. We've been waiting."

Youko-sama suddenly appeared in the doorway of the library, looking mildly annoyed.

"Sorry, Youko. We have just one more item to cover and we'll be going to the dining room."

"No. Actually, we're done onee-sama." Sachiko-sama said as she quickly stood up, and it was only then that Yumi noticed her onee-sama's flustered face.

Youko-sama eyed her imouto curiously, but chose not to say anything.

Instead, she turned to Sei-sama and said in a commanding voice. "You heard Sachiko, Sei. Let's have dinner first."

Sei-sama sighed, before also proceeding to stand up.

"I'm sorry we have to stop here, Yumi-chan. But in case you need my help again, just let me know." Her senior winked at her before she followed their two friends out the door.

Thinking that there was no way she would ever ask for Sei-sama's help in studying, Yumi decided to head out herself. But somehow, she just couldn't stop herself from picking up the slip of paper her onee-sama had left.

Upon seeing the words…she frowned.

She then pulled out her book and checked the chart as to where that specific muscle was located. Upon finding what she was looking for, her eyes widened in surprise and she blushed profusely.

When that word came out of her exam the next day, she answered it correctly. There was no way she would ever forget what the _**Gluteus Maximus**_ is and where it is located. But not only that, Yumi was confident that she'd answered most of the questions correctly. So with great reluctance, Yumi admitted that Sei-sama's _unconventional_ method of teaching had been very effective.

\- - o 0 o - -

The young woman was sitting on her study desk when her mother entered her room.

"Has she awakened yet?"

It had been the same since they found out about _her_ …the same question every day.

"No, mother."

The older woman donned a troubled expression and sighed. "Let us wait until September, when the second term begins. Let's give her some more time, just as the _council_ had ordered."

She nodded her head.

Her mother then wished her goodnight and left.

The girl looked out of her bedroom window, her gaze falling upon the cloudless night sky filled with stars.

 _I guess we'd meet soon…Fukuzawa Yumi-san._

\- - o 0 o - -

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 _"I was supposed to send a reply email last week. But since we will be having a meeting today, I thought it would be best to give my answer today. I would be honoured to accept. Will it be Fukuzawa-san who would be playing the role of Cinderella?"_

 _"No. The role will be filled in by my petite soeur who is not present in today's meeting." Youko-sama replied._

 _"I see. I just feel like Fukuzawa-san would fit the role perfectly._ _She greatly resembles someone I know and someone whom I am quite fond of. It would be great to play alongside her."_

 _Yumi sighed. So it was just because she looked like someone he knew, which led Kashiwagi-san to say those words._


	13. Sapphire Eyes

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Sapphire Eyes**

\- - o 0 o - -

The second semester soon began, and so did the joint meetings with the Hanadera student council members. Yumi was neither a rose nor a bouton, so her presence in such a meeting was not really necessary. However, during their last meeting, Yumi was requested to be present. Due to her onee-sama's consistent absence, Youko-sama had requested for Yumi to come in her place. After all, it was a petite soeur's job to fill in the place of the older sister. According to Youko-sama, it was also for Yumi's benefit to be accustomed to such meetings and discussions, the tradition of helping out at the Hanadera Festival was an annual tradition after all.

That afternoon, after classes were over, the meeting took place at Lillian. With more than ten people as attendees, it would be quite cramped if they were to invite their guests at the Rose Mansion. So similar to the prior meetings, they had requested the use of a larger meeting room located at the second floor of the library.

Sachiko-sama suddenly disappeared, for one reason or another, when the boys from Hanadera arrived. Youko-sama informed her of her onee-sama's fear of men, and somehow Yumi didn't find it so unusual since they were studying at an all girls' school. Also, Sachiko-sama did seem to be the type to bear such a phobia. But still, she wished there was something she could do to help her onee-sama overcome her fears.

There were six representatives from the boys' school and there were also six from Lillian.

Yumi was seated on the last chair, since she was the newest member. After the introductions, at which she stuttered miserably and no doubt made a poor impression on their guests, she never opened her mouth to speak. The topic being discussed was the Hanadera School Festival, which would take place at the end of the week.

The two boutons, plus Yumi, were not really required to be at Hanadera. But since the roses would be busy, they would need someone to support and assist them.

Yumi had no issues in helping out Youko-sama. Though it may be true that she was closer to Sei-sama, she had grown fond of her senior. She looked up to and admired the older girl's composure and maturity, sometimes wishing for her to gain even just a speck of these traits of her senior. Yumi was also greatly impressed by how her senior handles Sachiko-sama. Despite her onee-sama's dominating personality, Youko-sama didn't seem to have any problems in dealing with and ordering Sachiko-sama to abide by her wishes. Well, except for now.

"Are there any other matters regarding the Hanadera School Festival that you wish to cover?" Youko-sama asked, and Yumi was glad because it seemed like the meeting would soon be over.

"I think we were able to cover everything." The Hanadera student council president, Kashiwagi-san said.

The man, Kashiwagi Suguru-san, was a good looking man. He seemed to exude so much confidence (and arrogance if Yumi were to be blunt) that she found it difficult to decide if she liked him or not. He also appeared to be intelligent, cultured and well-mannered, so much like someone she knew.

Yumi scrunched her nose and concentrated. Who was it that Kashiwagi-san reminds her of?

"Before we end our meeting, there is just one thing that I wish to confirm with you. It is related to Lillian's School Festival. I believe you haven't responded to our query if it would be okay for you, Kashiwagi-san, to participate in our school play as Cinderella's prince."

"I was supposed to send a reply email last Friday. But since we would be having a meeting today, I thought it would be best to give my answer personally. I would be honoured to accept. Will it be Fukuzawa-san who will be playing the role of Cinderella?"

Upon hearing her name being called, Yumi snapped to attention. She unconsciously straightened her back, a habit she got from her onee-sama no doubt, and turned her attention to the man. And there was no mistake, she heard him right because he was looking straight at her with that charming smile of his (not that it worked on her).

Yumi didn't know if she was expected to answer or not. She didn't know that there was a play (probably it was mentioned while she was spacing out again), let alone what role she would be taking in case she would be in it. Thankfully, it was Youko-sama who replied.

"No. The role will be filled in by my petite soeur who is not present in today's meeting."

"I see. I just feel like Fukuzawa-san would fit the role perfectly."

Yumi was surprised, and somehow she knew her friends were too, to be singled out like this by their guest. Also, she knew that she was the last person to be picked out for a princess' role. Maybe as a dormouse or some other animal which became Cinderella's friends while she was still a servant girl, but definitely not Cinderella herself. She could not even begin to compare her looks with Sachiko-sama, Shimako-san nor any of the other Yamayurikai officers. If it weren't for the unexpected twist of fate of being sent to the manor, she would never be grouped with these gorgeous people.

"She greatly resembles someone I know and someone whom I am quite fond of. It would be great to play alongside her." He continued.

Yumi sighed. So it was just because she looked like someone he knew, which led Kashiwagi-san to say those words.

"But I do not mean any disrespect towards the person you already chose to play the lead female role." He added, "I am sure the roses are more than capable of choosing the perfect person for the role. I am merely sharing my selfish thoughts, so for that I would like to apologize."

The man kept on talking. He was being self-indulgent and the onee-samas were just allowing him. Probably as courtesy to their guest.

"Not at all Kashiwagi-san. But rest assured that Yumi-chan will be in the play and you will have the opportunity to share the stage with her. Just not as Cinderella." Youko-sama replied, still in a calm tone.

"But we can consider it." Sei-sama suddenly said. "The idea of Yumi-chan being Cinderella."

"Yes, that would be interesting." Eriko-sama chimed in.

Youko-sama donned a thoughtful expression before turning to look at Yumi. "I guess so."

She then turned to face the man in front of her, "But that discussion will have to be deferred to some later date."

"Yes, of course." Kashiwagi-san said and smiled.

Yumi wanted to interrupt earlier and say that he should have just kept his opinions to himself. But since she didn't have the confidence to speak up, she held her tongue. She decided to just speak with her seniors during dinner and tell them that probably, Kashiwagi-san was only joking and that he should not be taken seriously. Because who in their right minds would choose her as Cinderella over Sachiko-sama? Such were Yumi's thoughts.

The discussion about their play soon ended and so did their meeting. The boys were already standing up to leave and one by one exited the room. The roses were standing by the door, thanking their guests and wishing them a safe trip home.

Kashiwagi-san was seated at the far end of table and consequently, was the last of the boys to exit. But instead of heading for the door, he went and approached Yumi. The two boutons were conversing at the moment and didn't immediately notice as the man leaned to Yumi's ear and whispered in a voice only she could hear.

"You don't remember me, do you, _Yumi-chan_?"

 _Yumi-chan?_

Yumi was immediately irritated by the familiar way she had been addressed. Now that the meeting was over, Yumi felt she could speak with this man just as a person and not in his capacity as the Hanadera student council president.

However, before she was able to retort, he continued to say, "They did inform me that you lost your memories. But still, it was disappointing to confirm that it was true."

She stiffened. How did this man know about her amnesia? And based on his words, it sounded like they were acquainted.

"Think hard, Yumi-chan. We met at the summer house of my _cousin and fiancé_ a few years back. **Please try to remember**."

 _Fiancé?_

Somehow, that word irritated her. She wanted to move away from the man, but she wasn't able to as her mind unconsciously acquiesced to his request.

…

 _A young man in his teens was sitting in the living room, when Yumi passed by on her way to see her friend._

" _Hello, you must be Yumi-chan."_

 _Yumi stopped in her tracks and she eyed the man suspiciously. It was the first time that she'd seen him and was curious as to how he knew who she was._

" _My name is Suguru. I am your friend's cousin and fiancé." He said with a smile. "I hope we can become friends too."_

…

Her eyes widened.

"Suguru-san" Yumi mumbled, more to herself than to anyone else. But still, it seemed like the man heard her when a delighted smile grazed his lips.

Then all of a sudden, she felt a sharp jolt of pain in her head. But it seemed like Suguru-san didn't notice because he continued to say.

"See. I knew you'd remember if you tried. Were you also able to remember Sacchan?"

"Sacchan?"

"Yes, Sachi-"

"What are you doing, Kashiwagi!?" Youko-sama exclaimed, surprising most of the people that remained in the room.

But Yumi wasn't able to hear the man's reply, because the pain in her head intensified. It was as if something was trying to break through her consciousness only to be stopped by a brick wall. But this time, there seemed to be a crack in that wall…

" _Don't ever leave me, Yumi."_

" _What are you saying? Of course I will never leave you, Sa-."_

The pain intensified still, blinding Yumi, as her knees finally gave away. She felt weightless for a fraction of a second as she collapsed. She thought she was going to hit the wooden floor, until she felt strong firm hands hold onto her shoulders, stopping her from falling.

"Yumi-chan!"

Through her blurred vision, she saw Youko-sama came rushing towards her, immediately swatting away the man's hold on her shoulders and pulling Yumi into her arms. Youko-sama's previous diplomatic and civil attitude towards Kashiwagi-san seemed to have disappeared.

She leaned her head onto her senior's shoulders as her vision continued to spin. In response, Youko-sama pulled her body closer to hers protectively.

"Rei, please escort our guests out."

Yumi was hearing faint conversation around her. But her condition was worsening, as beads of sweat lined her brown and her body started shaking.

"Let me help."

"What did you tell her?"

"I didn't expect…"

"Leave, please just leave."

It was happening again, the unbearable pain in her head, the dryness of her throat, the emptiness in her stomach and piercing pain in her gums.

" _This will help with the pain, Yumi-chan."_

" _Yes dear, the 'antidote' will ease all your pain."_

And then…she blacked out.

\- - o 0 o - -

The next she opened her eyes, she was in the confines of her room. Yumi was not surprised since it had been the same case the first time it happened. What she didn't know though was what time and day it was. Her room was bathed in darkness, making it difficult to discern whether it was night or day.

She tried to sit up slowly, not wanting to intensify the dull ache in her head that she still feels. She allowed herself a few more minutes sitting down before she braved pulling herself to the side of her bed to stand up. She gingerly walked to a window and tentatively pulled a curtain open. It was night time, but as to what day it was, she didn't know.

She buried her face in her hands and for a second, considered recalling exactly what happened before she blacked out.

Why is her own head stopping her memories from coming back to her? The only conclusion Yumi could draw was that there must be something else hidden within her that should not be awakened.

" _Do not force yourself to remember."_

Her father always reminded her of that.

But this time, despite knowing of the consequences of diving back into that pit to search for her unknown memories, she solidified her resolve and decided that just this once, she would try. Because somehow, those sincere blue orbs that flashed before her eyes were startlingly familiar.

So she closed her eyes, concentrated, and tried to think about those sapphire orbs…

…

 _Bright blue eyes were looking at her and it made her blush somehow._

" _Is there something on my face?"_

 _They were in her friend's room. She was lying down, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling when she noticed her friend looking intently at her._

" _Is there something wrong with me looking at your face? You always stare at mine when you thought I wasn't looking. So I think it's just fair if I gaze at you all I want."_

 _Yumi blushed. So she'd been caught staring by her friend. But when?_

 _Well, there were countless times when she suddenly found herself staring at her friend's perfect nose, her beautiful blue eyes and pink lips. Not to mention, there were also times when her gaze unconsciously drifts off to marvel at the crook of her neck, down to her manicured fingernails, her long legs…_

 _Her blush intensified and shook her head to clear her mind of those improper thoughts._

" _You're teasing me again." Yumi just said._

 _Her friend's eyes twinkled in merriment when she replied, "And if I am, what will you do?"_

" _How about I tickle you?" She said, wiggling her fingers threateningly at her friend._

 _Her friend's face turned serious. "You wouldn't dare."_

" _Oh, I would, Sachiko-sama…"_

…

Then the scene changed.

…

 _They were in the same room. But this time, her friend was angry._

 _Her eyes were slits and her face was lined with so much irritation that Yumi knew she should do something to abate her anger._

 _Her friend's grandfather had informed her that she had been betrothed to a man whom he thinks would be the best for her._

" _Best for me? Why don't they just admit that they didn't want the family fortune to fall into other people's hands?"_

" _Sachiko-sama, please calm down."_

" _How can I calm down, Yumi?!"_

 _She then brought her hands to cup her friend's face. She forced her to look at her and she captured her beautiful sapphire eyes in her hazel brown ones._

" _Is there anything you can do about that engagement?"_

" _Not right now, no." Sachiko-sama irritably admitted._

" _Then just think about it when you can do something about it, right?"_

 _Slowly, her beloved friend's eyes softened. This works every time. Holding her like this, looking into her eyes this way…_

…

"Sachiko-sama…"

And just as those words left her lips, she felt a sharp stabbing pain in her head and her body was washed with tiredness, causing for her knees to grow weaker. Good thing she was standing beside a wall, which she leaned onto for support.

Now it all makes sense.

During summer vacation, she finally had the courage to admit to her onee-sama that she had been in an accident a few years ago, which resulted to the loss of her memories. At that time…

" _As much as I want you to remember your past Yumi, I think it would be best if you don't force yourself."_

" _I know onee-sama. Because whenever I do, I get a headache and some other weird feeling in my body. My parents also said that the memories will come back to me eventually and that I should not force myself to think about it."_

" _Are those memories really that important to you?"_

" _Yes of course! I have a feeling that they are a huge part of my life. With them gone, it was as if a big part of my heart is missing."_

 _And the moment those words left her lips, Sachiko-sama suddenly pulled her into an embrace, momentarily stunning her._

" _O-onee-sama?"_

 _And when she pulled away, Yumi thought she saw wetness in her onee-sama's eyes. But Sachiko-sama quickly turned away from her. And when she faced her once more, she was back to her usual self._

 _It seemed like those actions were done thoughtlessly, that somehow, Yumi knew that it was best not to ask._

" _Anyway, I think we should head downstairs. I remember Sei-sama telling me that she wanted to play some board games. I wouldn't want her barging into my room just to get us." Sachiko-sama said, clearly changing the topic._

 _Yumi laughed when she imagined a whining Sei-sama. "Yes, I think we should head down, onee-sama."_

…

The blinding pain intensified, dulling all her senses and clearing her mind of all thoughts.

"Sachiko-sama…" she whispered, before her eyes rolled to the back and her lifeless body fell onto the carpeted floor.

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi woke up in the comfort of her own bed. Somebody must have discovered her unconsciously lying on the floor, Maya perhaps, and called someone to carry her to her bed.

Similar to the last time she woke up, her room was once again enveloped in darkness. But unlike before, she was feeling better somehow. Probably sleeping for a long time had helped her body to recover. Or probably, the thought that she was finally able to grasp even a small part of her memories made her heart lighter.

Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness and somehow, she could just make out the draping at the corner of her bed. She stared unseeing as she marvelled at the thought that she and Sachiko-sama had been friends even before she arrived at the manor. That explains why she felt drawn to her senior back then, despite repeatedly being ignored and scolded. Then again, Yumi was sure that whether or not they'd been friends before, she'd still be charmed by Sachiko-sama nonetheless.

Yumi knew they were close. Thinking about that brief flashback, she wouldn't have the courage to act or speak that way towards Sachiko-sama if they weren't.

But now that she knew, what would she do? Should she attempt another recollection? Trying to remember was too taxing for her mind and body. And if she loses a day of her life for every memory she gained, will it really be worth it?

Then she wondered…

What did Sachiko-sama feel back then?

Would her onee-sama want her to remember everything, even at the cost of her own health?

If she were in her onee-sama's position, she would be devastated if she found out that Sachiko-sama has forgotten her. Then again, that was her. How sure was she that her senior would be affected just as much? Such were her thoughts if her self-depreciating nature were to take over. But if she were to be conceited, then she'd think that it must have been painful for Sachiko-sama. If this were the case, should she apologize? Well, it was unintentional on her part. But still, if her 'conceited' thinking was true, then her guilt will not be abated until she apologizes.

Yumi sighed.

There was no way for her to confirm what her senior really felt, so maybe she shouldn't dwell on that thought too much. For now, what's important is to let her onee-sama know that she remembers her now. She doesn't recall _all_ the memories they shared, but maybe, the simple fact of having knowledge about their previous relationship would be enough to bring a smile on her onee-sama's face.

With this thought in mind, Yumi got up and out of bed. She was already sitting at the edge of her bed when Maya entered the room.

Her attendant was so surprised that she shrieked.

"Calm down, Maya."

"Y-Yumi ojou-sama! You should not get up. You might lose consciousness again."

Despite the room being in semi-darkness, with only the faint light from the hallway as a source of illumination, Yumi was still able to see what time it was. Her vision was sharpening somehow.

She then walked to a window and drew a curtain open.

"Did they leave for school already?" She asked, ignoring Maya's fretting.

"The second car hasn't departed yet. But Youko ojou-sama said that you should rest for one more day until you're fully recovered."

Yumi refused to be fussed over like this. She was already feeling better, though still a little weak and tired, but still well enough to attend her classes. So she argued with Maya to allow her to prepare for school. Her servant was of course adamant against letting her, even saying that she would call Miho-san if Yumi remained to be this stubborn. But in the end, Maya reluctantly caved in when Yumi threatened her that she would never ever speak to her again if she continued in stopping Yumi.

Yumi's plan was to get ready for school in secret and to just appear by the driveway in time for the departure of the second car. That way, no one would be able to stop her from coming to school. Because if Youko-sama indeed ordered that she was not to be allowed to leave, then surely, her friends and the house staff will be as adamant as Maya.

True enough, when her onee-sama and Sei-sama saw her standing outside the front door, they were shaken out of their usual morning daze.

"Yumi-chan?!" Sei-sama exclaimed. Her previously blank eyes momentarily widened in surprise.

"Why did your attendant allow you to leave your room? I am sure onee-sama instructed them to let you rest for at least a day more." Sachiko-sama said, seemingly angry ( _she's just worried_ , Yumi thought).

"I am fine, onee-sama. I convinced Maya to allow me to leave, so it was not really her fault."

"No. You are staying here, Yumi." Her onee-sama stubbornly said.

Yumi pulled her onee-sama's hand and placed it on her forehead. This surprised Sachiko-sama, and her pale face slightly coloured.

Somehow, getting back those memories was making Yumi a tad bit braver and more open around her beloved senior.

"See, I am not feverish" Yumi said, smiling at how cute her onee-sama looked.

Sachiko-sama folded her arms over her chest and gave Yumi a glare. "You are so stubborn, Yumi."

"And from whom do you think she got it from, Sachiko?" Sei-sama said with a sigh. "Just let her do as she please."

"What are you implying, Sei-sama."

"It's too early in the morning for these arguments, Sachiko."

Sachiko balled her fist to her sides. "Fine! Let onee-sama get angry that we allowed Yumi to leave the house."

At that moment, Sei-sama's eyes narrowed and glowed before she gave Sachiko-sama a piercing glare. Yumi gulped, as her insides trembled in fear. This was the first time she saw their senior to be this irritated and angry. It was scary.

"Enough of this, Sachiko." Their senior said in a low threatening growl and without another word, she entered and settled herself in the passenger's seat.

Sachiko-sama was momentarily stunned, with her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape, as she stood rooted to the spot. It was as if she was debating whether or not she should fight back (she really hates to lose).

At that moment, Yumi just knew what to do. And just like in that memory, she gently brought her hands up, closer to Sachiko-sama's face. With trembling fingers, she cupped both her cheeks and forced her to look into her eyes.

Sachiko-sama's surprised gaze unconsciously went down to meet hers. And slowly, her senior's eyes softened.

"Works every time, doesn't it? _Sachiko-sama_ …"

Her voice was merely a whisper, but there was so much tenderness in them that Sachiko was once again in a state of disbelief.

Sei-sama snapping like that had been so surprising for her. Then again, due to their nature, headache and light-headed (not to mention extreme moodiness) was not uncommon. It was just the first time that Sachiko had to deal with Sei-sama this early.

However, what surprised her more was Yumi. For the young girl to hold her and speak to her this way, with this much of intimacy and tenderness had made her heart skip a beat.

"What did you just say?"

"To calm you down, _Sachiko-sama_ … Whenever I do this, it seems to have a calming effect on you."

To say that she was stunned would be an understatement. For the first time in a long time, Yumi had her struggling for words.

"Y-Yumi, do you…I mean, how much do you know?"

"Not much. But I do remember that we were friends even before I came to the manor."

Yumi's eyes were half lidded and filled with affection. It was as if Yumi was seeing her in a different light and Sachiko suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

"I-"

"Hey! Quit it with the flirting, we'll be late!" Sei-sama rolled down the windows and called out to them irritably.

This shook them out of their daze and with blushes on their cheeks, they scrambled to sit in the car's backseat.

\- - o 0 o - -

They were almost at Lillian when Sachiko finally recovered.

"Just to be clear Yumi, you are still to address me as 'onee-sama'."

Yumi smiled and happily said, "Yes, onee-sama."

"I am glad that you remembered me, but please don't force yourself to recall your memories all at once."

"Yes, onee-sama."

"Our closeness then is really not much different than what we have now anyway. Although you were less shy and much more impertinent back then. I'd rather have a healthy petite soeur now, so don't force yourself to think about it too much."

"You worry too much, onee-sama." Yumi said smiling.

"Of course I do. Who wouldn't? Like now for example, you didn't get the chance to grab your breakfast and your juice, right? Because you didn't want to get caught. You know you need to properly eat to help with your recovery."

It seemed to Yumi that Sachiko-sama was finally back to her normal self. And probably, back into fussing over her.

So Yumi just nodded. It was true that she didn't pass by the kitchen to grab her food.

Her onee-sama opened her own lunch box, pulled out a tetra pack and punched the straw into it before handing it over for Yumi to drink.

Yumi looked at the offered drink and smiled. It just amazed her how fortunate she was to be loved and cared for this much by a person like as Ogasawara Sachiko-sama.

"Stop spacing out and drink your cranberry juice, Yumi." Sachiko-sama barked.

"Y-yes"

"I don't have a sandwich with me. But since it's still early, I will accompany you to the Milk Hall. I'm sure onee-sama would understand if we miss this morning's meeting."

She wanted to ask where her onee-sama was getting all this energy so early in the morning. It must be the surprise of finding her out of bed, or the shock when Sei-sama snapped, or probably the disbelief of what she admitted to the older girl. Either way, Sachiko-sama was unexpectedly talkative since she saw her out by the driveway. Sachiko-sama hadn't fed from her recently, so it means her onee-sama should have her usual stoic face and indifferent attitude in the morning, just like all their friends have. Unless she fed from Youko-sama.

Yumi shook her head. The image of her onee-sama feeding off of someone else, even if it was Youko-sama, was making her feel jealous somehow.

 _Well, I guess I am one jealous little sister._ Yumi mused.

"Yumi, are you paying attention?!"

"Ah, sorry no. Did you say something, onee-sama?"

"I said I will come and get you at lunch. Wait for me in your classroom. Really, Yumi. And I thought I was the one with low blood pressure."

Yumi nodded. It seems her onee-sama would be fussing over her the whole day.

\- - o 0 o - -

The soeurs walked down the path towards the Milk Hall with smiles on their faces.

Unknown to them, someone was gazing at them from afar, behind a curtained window in Lillian High School's main building.

" _I wish those smiles never leave your lips, Sachiko-san, Yumi-chan. But I'm afraid it will be starting soon..."_

 _And not long after those words were whispered in the air, her phone rang. She slowly made her way towards her desk to pick it up._

" _Headmistress?"_

" _Takashi-san." It was the call she's been waiting for._

" _I heard news that the Society will make its move."_

" _When?"_

" _Today."_

 _She was not at all surprised. They were bound to do something soon. And this time, difficult as it may be to accept, there is nothing more she could do for the girl._

" _Let's just wish that Yumi-chan is strong enough when the time comes for her to hear everything Shizuka-san has to say."_

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** This chapter officially starts the third (and _probably_ final) arc of "Blood". \\(^_^)/ . Good day! I would like you know your comments on the story.

...

 _ **Next Chapter Preview:**_

 _"I can help you recover your past memories."_

 _Yumi's eyes widened in surprise._

 _Contrastingly, the girl smiled._

 _"It seems I got you interested. But this conversation is something that should be done elsewhere. Please come with me."_

 _She then proceeded to walk down the corridor, without even checking if Yumi was following her. And there was no need for that. Because not a second later, Yumi's feet involuntary followed the woman._


	14. Truths and Lies

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei. Also, I 'borrowed' the use of the word 'Institute' from Cassandra Clare's shadowhunter novels.

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Truths and Lies**

\- - o 0 o - -

It was safe to say that Yumi's assumption that morning had been correct; that her onee-sama would worry about her all day. Sachiko-sama accompanied her to the Milk Hall that morning for breakfast. Sei-sama's mood didn't change even after they arrived at Lillian, but still, they asked her to inform Youko-sama that they would be missing that morning's meeting. Their senior ignored them of course, but at that time, Yumi knew that Youko-sama would figure out the reason why Sachiko-sama didn't show up at the Rose Mansion with Sei-sama.

During lunch, her onee-sama arrived at her classroom a few minutes after the bell rang. She accompanied her in buying lunch at the cafeteria, ignoring the adoring gazes of the many freshmen, and a few sophomores and seniors, who were Sachiko-sama's fans. Yumi thought of it as a little fan service (though her onee-sama's face remained stoic the whole time they were there), to see the admired 'Star of Lillian' so up close. Yumi knew her onee-sama hated to be stared at like that, hence her indifferent attitude.

As part of 'fan service', Yumi distanced herself a little from her onee-sama, only to have her beloved senior grab her arm and pull her closer. Yumi pouted at this. It's not like she would suddenly fall to the ground unconscious. She knew this was her onee-sama's thoughts because her senior instructed her to take vitamins and to eat more because according to Sachiko-sama, she was looking paler and paler by the day, as if she could just faint any second.

After buying food, they proceeded to eat at the old greenhouse. Sachiko-sama's smile returned once it was just the two of them. They talked about mundane things, mostly about the upcoming Lillian School Festival.

Yumi was done with her lunch when she decided to mention the play.

"Youko-sama mentioned that the Yamayurikai will be having a play."

"Yes, we'll be having 'Cinderella' this year."

"I am so excited to see you as Cinderella, onee-sama."

The older girl turned to face Yumi.

"Why would you be excited about that?"

"Well, I would like to see you in a dress- "

"You just want to see me in a dress?" Sachiko-sama laughed. "You should have just asked. I'd be happy to dress up for you."

At the expression on Sachiko-sama's face, Yumi pouted. "You're teasing me, aren't you?"

Her senior then playfully pinched her puffed cheeks. "And what if I am?"

Yumi froze. Should she act like how she did in her memory?

"Yumi?"

 _No. I probably should not._

The warning bell rang, signalling the end of lunch break.

"I guess we should head back." Sachiko-sama said.

Yumi just smiled and nodded her head.

She was in the act of gathering her trash when her onee-sama suddenly stood up and walked towards the door. With her back to Yumi, she said in a soft voice.

"I am so glad that you were able to remember me, Yumi. You were my dearest friend. The only person whom I ever opened up to." Her onee-sama's voice was sincere and solemn. But since her senior's back was to her, Yumi wasn't able to see the expression on her face.

"And I am happy that despite losing your memories, we still became soeurs. I am glad to have you back in my life Yumi, whether as the 'you' now or the 'you' before. To me, you are still _my_ Yumi."

And after that, Sachiko-sama suddenly exited the greenhouse. But Yumi could just make out the red tinge on her onee-sama's ears. And she knew that it was the same for her, because Yumi could just feel the warm blush spreading on her cheeks and neck.

Ogasawara Sachiko-sama appears to be uptight and indifferent to most people, but not to Yumi. To her, Sachiko-sama is the warmest, sincerest and most caring person, and not the 'ice princess' most people thought her to be.

With that in mind, Yumi rushed to follow her beloved senior. And as she caught up to her, she grabbed her hand. Sachiko-sama was momentarily surprised at her action, but squeezed her hand tight nonetheless.

"I am glad to be your petite soeur and close friend too, onee-sama." She happily said.

And from the side, Yumi could see her onee-sama's smiling face and blushing cheeks.

 _Please Maria-sama, I hope this peaceful happy life with onee-sama never ends._

But it seems like her prayer was not loud enough for Maria-sama to hear.

That afternoon, Sachiko-sama had some things she needed to do, so she was not able to pick Yumi up from her classroom. Instead, they just agreed to meet at the Rose Mansion for their Yamayurikai Meeting.

Unknown to Yumi, it was the chance that one person was waiting for.

Just as she finished up with her cleaning duty, she was approached by a student who seemed to be her senior. The girl had short black hair that reached up to her shoulders. She was pretty, but her eyes and her gaze was somehow unsettling for Yumi.

"Fukuzawa Yumi-san, do you have a moment?"

Yumi and her classmates were already out of the science room, which was designated for them to clean, when the person arrived. Her classmates told her that they would be the ones to return the cleaning log to the faculty room because they still had club activities that afternoon. So after one final 'gokigenyou', they left.

"I think we should discuss this somewhere else, so no one will hear us." The woman said with a smile.

Yumi was hesitant to speak with her for some reason, so she said. "I'm sorry, but I have a Yamayurikai meeting. May I ask what it is you would like to speak to me about?"

The woman regarded her for a moment, seemingly thinking of what to say. She then moved closer and whispered to Yumi's ear…

" _I can help you recover your past memories."_

Yumi's eyes widened in surprise.

Contrastingly, the girl smiled.

"It seems I got you interested. But this conversation is something that should be done elsewhere. Please come with me."

She then proceeded to walk down the corridor, without even checking if Yumi was following her. And there was no need for that. Because not a second later, Yumi's feet involuntary followed the woman.

They soon reached the music room and the woman entered, held the door open for her and closed it shut afterwards. The place they were in was sound proofed and was indeed a good place to have a private conversation.

The woman then proceeded to sit down on the piano bench, while Yumi remained to be standing. She had no intention of staying long because her onee-sama would surely be worried if she was late for their meeting. But she just wanted to hear what this woman has to say.

"First of all, I wanted to introduce myself. I am Kanina Shizuka, a second year student here at Lillian."

Yumi just nodded her head, knowing that there was no need for her to do the same since clearly, the woman, Shizuka-sama, knew who she was.

"Are you familiar with the _Society,_ Yumi-san?"

 _Society?_

The word seemed to tickle a certain memory, as if she'd heard it from someone, but she decided not to push herself to remember. Because whenever she did, it was always followed by an attack. And she didn't want to have one now.

She shook her head. "No. I'm afraid I haven't heard about it."

The girl looked at her for a moment, before continuing to say, "I am a member of the _Society_ since I turned sixteen, the age when _we_ are considered to be adults."

Yumi just nodded her head.

"But unlike for you and your friends, the gene did not manifest in me. But it did in some of my relatives and it may in future generations to come from my lineage. It is safe to say that we belong in the same _race._ "

Yumi wanted to retort and say that it hadn't manifested in her _yet_. But in the end, just chose to keep her silence.

"So what does the _Society_ do?"

"The _Society_ , led by the council, is formed to ensure our safety and maintain the secrecy of our race."

Yumi nodded her head in understanding, but this was not the information she was expecting to get when she came with Shizuka-sama earlier. So she proceeded to ask, "You said you can help me get my memories back. How?"

"That would be an arduous process which would require the aid of experts."

"So you're saying that you lied and you really can't do anything." Yumi was somehow braving to speak her mind. Recovering her memories was no laughing matter and she didn't appreciate being led on like that.

"Oh, I can surely _help_ you. But not here and not now. I would need for you to come with me."

Yumi was taken aback. Is this person serious? Did she think she will go with her because she simply asked?

"The headmistress shouldn't have kept _what_ you were a secret and brought you straight to the _Society_ in the first place."

 _What?_

"She claimed that she didn't know about it and didn't intentionally hide it. She may have stayed away from the _Society_ for a long time, but still, she remains to be one of us and therefore, should have understood the consequences of her actions."

Yumi was surprised that this woman was able to speak about the headmistress of Lillian like this, seeing as she too is a student of this school. However, she was not going to point this out because the more important thing that struck her was…

"What do you mean by _what_ I am?"

Shizuka-sama smiled a sad smile, "Say Yumi-san, can I confirm a few things about your past?"

 _I thought she was the one who's going to give me information._

And as if reading her mind, her senior said, "I just wanted to know how much you know."

Yumi didn't nod her head to agree and just continued to stare at the woman.

Probably sensing that Yumi would not be saying anything, Shizuka-sama continued to ask, "You lived in the country side with your parents. Away from the cities, right?"

 _Quite a generic question_. Yumi thought.

"Yes, that's correct."

"You had regular bouts of headache and nausea and some other symptoms, which I assume you now recognize."

Yumi bit her lip. Shizuka-sama had been correct to say that. She indeed realized just a few days ago what her previous symptoms were.

"Judging from your expression, I am assuming that is a 'yes'." Her senior momentarily smiled. "Has anybody told you that you have a very expressive and transparent face?"

Yumi involuntarily blushed.

"So I guess that is another 'yes'?"

Shizuka-sama's expression became serious once more. "Anyway, when you had your attacks, did they inject you with a serum, an 'antidote' as they would say, and it helped alleviate the pain and eliminated all of your 'symptoms'?"

"…"

"But did it also cause for you to lose some of your memories?"

"…"

"And your parents would just fill in the details for you, telling you what happened during the day and what you did the previous days? And you believed everything that they said."

The room was enveloped in silence for a moment. Yumi was at a loss for words. The fact that this woman knew so much about her was scary. These were the things that only her parents knew about. And somehow, she was starting to believe that maybe, Kanina Shizuka-sama was telling the truth when she claimed that she could help in getting back her memories.

"Around two or three years ago, you were involved in an accident, right? One that caused for you to lose far more memories than before. What did they tell you about it?"

"Car accident." Came her curt reply.

"That wasn't written in the journal." The woman mumbled, seemingly talking to herself.

"What journal?"

Shizuka-sama's expression turned more serious, "from your foster parents' of course. They kept everything that happened in a journal. After all, what they did was extremely dangerous. So as scientists, it was important for them to record each observation."

 _Scientists?_

"What exactly did they do?"

Yumi immediately regretted asking. She wasn't even sure if this person is making it all up, although the longer they conversed, the more convinced Yumi was that Shizuka-sama was telling the truth.

Also, Yumi was thankful that she was not having a headache upon having this conversation. Maybe because Shizuka-sama hadn't said anything to trigger her memories. Because so far, everything that she was hearing was either something that she already knew or something she hadn't heard before.

"You didn't know Yumi-san? The serum they used on you is a prohibited substance. It could _kill_ a _normal_ _infected_ , not to mention it has an adverse effect to the person's memory. It was created for one specific purpose..."

Shizuka-sama paused and shook her head, "No. Mother said it was created for a specific _**type**_ of individual. But it had only been tested once, so many years ago, and it failed."

Surely, her senior mentioned some other important things, which she really did not understand. But what registered to her was that this person was accusing her parents.

"What are you trying to imply? That they injected me with a drug that could have ended up killing me?"

"Not only that, Yumi-san. I am saying that they filled your head with false memories, to make you believe that you had a normal and happy life…that you were normal."

"No. That's not possible."

Shizuka-sama looked straight into her eyes, as if trying to read her mind. And after a few more seconds of holding her gaze, her senior finally said, "You felt it too, didn't you? That there was something wrong with you and your life. That it was far from the perfect life your parents painted it to be. But you were just so nice, too nice for your own good, to ever question them."

Yumi wanted to get angry. This person was literally slandering her parents, the people who took her in and cared for her. But she just couldn't. Because difficult as it may be to admit, she had been right. It was a thought that Yumi had chosen not to entertain, but a thought that had always been at the back of her mind.

"They did it to protect you. It's all written there. I would like to tell you more about it, but it would be best to hear it directly from my parents. Or better yet, for you to read the journal yourself."

It was like bomb after bomb was dropped onto her head. Her mind was revolting. She wanted to shout, to ask this person to stop it with the lies. But then again, she found it too difficult to refute what she was saying.

So instead, she answered. "Why are you telling me all this? What benefit will the _Society_ get by helping someone like me?"

"I did mention that our purpose is to keep our race safe and to maintain our secrecy. We are doing it for these reasons. Also, someone from the council have great interest in you and wanted to ensure that you live through all this."

 _Live through all this?_ Yumi echoed in her mind. _Does this mean, I could die?_

But Shizuka-sama seemed to be oblivious to her inner musing and just went on to say, "That is why I need you to come with me, at least before you fully _awaken_. My parents would be able to explain it better. Your friends at the manor wouldn't know how to handle you once it happens. Your _awakening_ is definitely different from theirs. It would be the first time they would encounter someone like you in the manor. Only the headmistress knew about someone like you, and even she is unsure of what to do once you completely _turn_."

"But I haven't _turned_ yet. There is no guarantee that I will."

All this talk about her _awakening,_ about her being different and seemingly special compared to her friends, was starting to scare her. Not to mention a confirmation of her dreaded feeling that her foster parents had lied to her all her life.

"Why do you have their journal ( _in case it really exists_ , Yumi thought)? My parents'? Are they with you?"

"They went to us on their own, admitted to their crimes and are now in the main _Institute_."

"Why would they do that?"

"For you, Yumi-san. They asked us to help you."

She didn't know what to say. After being told that her parents drugged her and lied to her (apparently for her own good), this woman is now saying that they voluntarily surrendered and confessed everything, again, for her sake?

"Are they okay? My brother, Masamune-kun, how is he?"

"They are fine. Your brother has _turned_ and now lives in an _Institute_ for boys. He is after all born out of Mr. and Mrs. Kobayashi, who belongs to our race. But your parents, they will be punished."

"What kind of punishment?"

"The council has been kind enough to just exile them. They were taken to a research facility somewhere in the far north."

"Can I talk to them?"

The only way for Yumi to confirm this woman's claims was to speak directly with her parents. But admittedly, after hearing everything, she didn't know if she would actually be able to speak to her parents like she did before.

"If you come with me, we could give them a call. But just to be clear, Yumi-san, once you go to the main Institute, there's no turning back. You won't be able to come back to the manor nor to the life that you have now."

Yumi froze.

 _Leave everyone_ … _even onee-sama…_

That was a very difficult decision for her to make. She just couldn't leave everything behind and come with this stranger, could she? And to make matters worse, Shizuka-sama even said, "Also, you can't tell anybody about it. Not even your onee-sama, Sachiko-san."

"Why?"

"Because your very existence is something that hasn't been seen or heard of in the past half a century. And if word got out of what the _council_ is doing, there would be an uproar. There are still some who believes in the old ways."

Yumi's heartbeat seemed to have stopped.

"What do you mean?"

"Normally, the latent gene awakens when someone becomes an adult. But for you, Yumi-san, the gene wasn't dormant. We believe you were born _awakened_."

Yumi suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

"A normal _infected_ would awaken to a strong thirst for blood. But assuming they chose not to suppress it, they would be okay. But in your case, imagine years and years of unquenched thirst and hunger suppressed by the serum…"

Shizuka-sama let her words hang in the air, allowing for Yumi to take it all in, before she continued.

"So if I may correct myself, what we are actually dreading…is your _**re**_ _-awakening_."

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** I would like to applaud one reader who guessed correctly that Yumi is a "pure blood". Since I enjoy writing this story so much, I am actually a few chapters (drafts) ahead, and I was in the process of writing this chapter when I read that comment, so I was quite surprised when a guest guessed it correctly.

I just felt like posting this chapter earlier than I originally planned since there were some who really wanted to know what happened next. But you will have to wait a little longer for the next one. ^_^

Good day and please let me know your thoughts.

...

 _ **Next Chapter Preview:**_

 _A school festival at an all-boys school was not much different than the one she had at her public middle school. She had only said those words because she knew her onee-sama wouldn't allow her to come, despite it being too obvious that her beloved senior was relieved that Yumi was now beside her._

 _Suguru-san was standing at head of the group, while Yumi and her onee-sama were the furthest from them and were at the tail end. Her onee-sama's face was a mask of displeasure, compared to her usual stoic face. Maybe being around unknown males was that much uncomfortable for her._

 _Yumi reached to grab her onee-sama's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. This made the older woman look down at her and her expression momentarily softened._

 _"Think of happy thoughts onee-sama."_

 _"Happy thoughts?"_

 _"Yes. What is the thing that makes you happy the most?"_


	15. Older Sister

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Older Sister**

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi's footsteps were heavy as she ascended the stairs of the Rose Mansion. Shizuka-sama left her with a number to contact when she finally makes the decision. She knew her senior was letting her choose…making her feel like she had a choice.

According to her senior, the _Society's_ records on individuals like her were very limited, because back in the days, all 'pure bloods' were killed the moment they were born. In the _Society's_ history, only the last two pure bloods before her were allowed to live. But in the end, they both died at a very young age. So it was safe to say that Yumi was first _successful test subject_ for the serum. However, it was for this same reason that nobody knew if the serum would be able to make her a normal human or a normal infected. It was only recently when another possibility was considered, and that was for the pure blood's nature to only be supressed, thereby making the _hunger_ and _thirst_ for blood stronger than ever. The council had every reason to kill her since they seemed to think that the third option proved to be true in her case. But as Shizuka-sama had said, there was someone in the higher ups that wanted her alive for some reason.

Shizuka-sama told her that based on the last records in the journal her parents had left, she had been given strong doses of the serum prior to sending her to the manor. But because six months had passed since then, the _Society_ scientists predicted that Yumi would slowly be getting her memories back, but with it was her dreaded awakening. Her senior also warned her from consciously using any of her 'would be' abilities or from recalling anymore of her memories, because it would only make her _hungrier_ and would only speed up her _awakening_. Not that she knew how to use any of her abilities, assuming she had any. But regarding stopping herself from remembering...well, it was too late to warn her now.

 _"We sensed that you were starting to awaken early this week."_

And Yumi had an idea as to why it started. Her senior said it was bound to happen sooner or later. But she also asked Yumi if there was some kind of trigger...and she knew there was.

Yumi stopped in her tracks.

She was at the second floor landing and in front of the stained glass window of the three coloured roses. She looked up and allowed her face to bathe in the warm afternoon sun. Those three beautiful roses reflected how wonderful each of the Yamayurikai members were… _her friends._ If she were to come with Shizuka-sama, she will be leaving her colourful life to dive into an unknown world, where people see her not as herself, but as a 'pure blood', an anomaly that exists only every half a century. But she also knew that she had to swallow that pill. As much as she wanted to just use the drug to remain 'normal' forever, she didn't have to be an expert to know that it was only a stopgap measure. And the longer she remained dependent on the drug, the larger her unquenched thirst becomes…the more dangerous she would be.

It was all just theories in her head. Just words that she didn't know if were entirely true. But if they were, should she really risk the life of her friends because she was too adamant to leave the happy life that she had? Would she really risk being around the person whose blood she'd surely thirst for if ever she awakened?

Upon hearing the faint voices coming from the second floor meeting room, she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the stained glass window and pulled herself back to reality. She took the last few steps towards the biscuit door.

Her hand was already on the knob, but she just couldn't find the strength to open it. Because once she did, she would have to pretend that everything was well and fine, which it was not. And showing a distraught face was not an option because that would just cause for her friends to worry.

So slowly, she withdrew her hand and took a few steps backwards. She just couldn't face them.

She already had her back turned and was about to head back down when she heard the door being opened from the inside.

"Yumi?"

That beautiful melodious voice stopped her in her tracks and caused for the tears she'd been holding back since she left the music room earlier to well up in her eyes. She kept her back to her so the older girl would not see as tears cascaded down her face.

"Where have you been?" her onee-sama's voice was laced with worry.

She wanted to break down and cry in her sister's arms, but she just couldn't. As much as she could, she wanted to remain strong. So when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, she said, "Please, onee-sama. J-just give me a moment to compose myself. I-"

But her stubborn onee-sama didn't abide by her request. Instead, her hold became firmer and she turned Yumi around.

Her onee-sama's eyes widened. "What happened!?"

The voices on the other side of the wall hushed, as if they too were surprised at Sachiko-sama's sudden outburst.

And she seemed to have noticed it too, because she toned down her voice when she asked, "Did you remember something again, Yumi? Did you have an attack?"

It took a while before Yumi shook her head 'no'.

"Then what is it?"

Yumi just pursed her lips and forced the words out of her mouth, "I-I am fine, onee-sama."

"You don't look fine to me."

Sachiko was starting to get frustrated. Whatever it was that was on Yumi's mind or whatever it was that happened seemed to be something very serious for her imouto to break down in tears like this.

"I'm sorry, onee-sama, for making you worry."

"If you are sincere about your apology, then make sure not to do it again, to make me worry like this." She said in her authoritative voice.

"Yes, onee-sama." Yumi said as she wiped her tears with her hands.

Sachiko pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket, cupped her face and proceeded to wipe her little sister's cheeks.

"Really, Yumi. What will I do with you? How can I help you if you don't' tell me things?"

The younger girl brought her hands down and allowed Sachiko to wipe her cheeks. She bowed her head, but Sachiko gently pulled her face up to make her look at her.

"I know I've asked this already, but can you please tell me what's wrong, Yumi? I know something happened."

At her question, Yumi's tears started spilling from her eyes again. Her body shook as soft uncontrolled sobs escaped her lips.

Sachiko didn't know what to do or what to say, her little sister was not telling her anything. So out of desperation…she took hold of Yumi's arm and pulled her towards her. She watched as Yumi's eyes momentarily widened in surprise, but she took no heed and still proceeded to put her arms around Yumi's small frame, squeezing her tight.

Yumi stiffened at first. They were at the second floor of the rose mansion, just outside the meeting room. At any time, there could be someone who would step out and see them in such a position, but Sachiko didn't care.

She held her close, releasing all of her pent up frustration at not being able to do anything for the person she valued the most. She leaned her cheek against her hair and closed her eyes. She tightened her hold on her, wishing that she could share in her sister's pain. "Please let me help you, Yumi."

Yumi buried her face in her chest and snaked her arms around her back, proceeding to press their bodies together.

"I'm sorry, onee-sama." Her muffled voice was shaking as she apologized yet again.

"Stop apologizing. Whatever it is, Yumi, I am here for you."

They stayed like that for a moment, unhearing the faint voices from the other side of the door resumed as the Yamayurikai meeting progressed.

Then in a small trembling voice, Yumi whispered, "I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of awakening."

Sachiko pulled away and looked at her imouto's face.

 _So that's what's bothering her_ , Sachiko thought.

She then captured her sister tear-fill eyes. "It is scary, I know. Trust me I know. But I am here, Yumi. You can _feed_ on me if you need to. Do not make the same mistake as I did. Don't suppress it."

Yumi was moved by her onee-sama's actions and words. But there was no way for her sister to understand what she meant. She could not tell the older girl _what_ she was (or _what_ Shizuka-sama believed her to be) and that she was not intentionally holding back. She couldn't tell her onee-sama that she was _different_ , that she could really end up killing her should the time come that she needed to _feed_.

That thought was filling Yumi with so much dread that she wanted to run away from her onee-sama at that very instant.

"But you won't be able to feed unless your fangs start showing."

 _Yes, just as Shizuka-sama had said. But the moment it happens, then I would already be a threat to everyone, most especially you._

"So the moment it happens or you feel anything, please come to me."

 _No, I need to leave before that happens._

"I will also be coming to your room every night, to check on you. So promise me that you won't hide this from me, Yumi."

With much effort, and under the pressure of her onee-sama's expectant gaze, Yumi nodded her head.

 _I'm sorry for lying to you, onee-sama._

"Good. Now, we are almost done with the meeting about the Hanadera festival that is to take place tomorrow. And I think…" Sachiko-sama paused for a moment and with great difficulty said, "...I will be going, so there is no need for you to be there."

Hesitation was so evident in her onee-sama's voice and face. Yumi knew that she was doing this for her sake, so despite the heavy feeling that remained in her chest, Yumi balled her fist to the side and opposed her onee-sama.

"No, you shouldn't force yourself to go. It is just for half a day, I can go in your place, just as planned."

"No, Yumi. I have made my decision and there is nothing that would change my mind." Sachiko-sama said stubbornly. But Yumi didn't miss her slightly trembling hands, which she immediately hid behind her back. She was obviously putting up a brave act, despite how scared she was at the prospect of going to an all-boys school and being surrounded by countless unknown males.

Yumi knew that if Sachiko-sama was like this, there was very little chance that she could do to convince her otherwise. So instead, she decided to use a different reasoning.

"Then at least let me come with you."

"No, Yumi. I do not want to be viewed as a weak person who cannot do anything without her petite soeur. And besides, onee-sama will be there."

Yumi frowned. "But she will be busy, and you will probably be alone with the Hanadera student council officers."

Sachiko-sama's eyebrow involuntarily twitched.

"I just want to see what an all-boys school festival is like." Yumi supplied.

"A-are you sure?"

"Of course, onee-sama. I promise I won't be a bother. I will just be on the side lines, observing how it goes."

To Yumi's delight, Sachiko-sama looked somewhat relieved.

"If you're sure, then I can speak to onee-sama about it."

After that, they entered the meeting room. Yumi allowed herself to smile. For now, she would enjoy the time she is to share with her friends. After all, she needed to see just one more person to confirm the information she just heard before she makes her decision. And since they will be at Hanadera the next day, Yumi's plan was to see her in her office the day after tomorrow, just in time for the deadline Shizuka-sama had set.

\- - o 0 o - -

The meeting ended a few minutes after Yumi joined them and they all decided to call it a day. None of her friends asked any questions, probably trusting that her own onee-sama had dealt with her in private. But still, they gave her worried glances upon seeing her red puffy eyes.

Yumi was walking beside Yoshino-san out of the rose mansion, while her onee-sama was speaking with her fellow bouton, Rei-sama. She had grown to become close friends with Yoshino-san over the course of the first semester. Their friendship bloomed when Yoshino-san, after years of putting it off, finally decided to get heart surgery, and Yumi went to visit her every day while she was recovering. Rei-sama strongly opposed her having the operation. But in the end, she was not able to convince her cousin otherwise, because as Yumi eventually found out, Yoshino-san was a strong-willed and stubborn person. She was far from the obedient and submissive younger sister that the Lillian High School populace thought her to be. Because once she became healthy, there was never a day when Yumi hadn't witnessed the other girl bickering and arguing with own onee-sama, at least when the rose onee-samas were not present.

They soon separated, with the cousins exiting through Lillian's back gate, and the six of them heading for the faculty parking. Yumi sat beside her onee-sama in the car's backseat, and was happy when her beloved senior pulled her hand and held onto it all the way back to the manor. She gave her a gentle smile, and it helped in calming down her troubled heart. Feeling and knowing that her onee-sama would always be there to support her, was warming her heart. And somehow, she was confident that even if they were apart, the thought of someone caring for her as much as Sachiko-sama did, was enough to fill her with strength. It was something that she needed. Finding out that her parents had lied to her all her life, even if it was for her own good, filled her heart with doubt and mistrust. She just felt so alone. But with her onee-sama holding her hand like this, she felt a surge of strength and hope.

\- - o 0 o - -

A school festival at an all-boys school was not much different than the one she had at her public middle school. She had only said those words because she knew her onee-sama wouldn't allow her to come, despite it being too obvious that her beloved senior was relieved that Yumi was now beside her.

"Ooh's" and "Aah's" could be heard as the seven Yamayurikai officers walked onto the pathway from the gate leading to the grounds. The boys were gathered to the side, as if afraid to approach them.

"We warned them that if any form of harm is to come to any of the Lillian delegates, they would be severely punished and the club that they belonged to would be suspended. Depending on the gravity of their offense, the club could be disbanded." Kashiwagi-san explained.

"Clubs are taken very seriously here at Hanadera, and there's nothing worse than to cause shame to your own club." Another black-haired student council officer added.

The two of them were standing at head of the group, while Yumi and her onee-sama were the furthest from them and were at the tail end. Her onee-sama's face was a mask of displeasure, compared to her usual stoic face. Maybe being around unknown males was that much uncomfortable for her.

Yumi reached to grab her onee-sama's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. This made the older woman look down at her and her expression momentarily softened.

"Think of happy thoughts onee-sama."

"Happy thoughts?"

"Yes. What is the thing that makes you happy the most?"

Yumi kept on walking and was not looking at the older woman's face. It was something Sachiko was thankful for because that way, her petite soeur didn't notice her slight blush.

 _You, Yumi. You being close to me like this…holding my hand._ But Sachiko kept these thoughts to herself.

"For me, I am happy whenever I am with onee-sama."

Sachiko was shaken out of her musing upon hearing Yumi's words. How her little sister could manage to say those words so casually and without being embarrassed was something that Sachiko found to be so brave. Then again, now that Yumi remembers her, maybe her imouto's cheekiness is back. This made Sachiko giggle.

"What's so funny, onee-sama?"

"Well, you told me to think of happy thoughts, didn't you?"

"Ah, that I did. So what were you thinking about?"

"Our summer holidays of course." Sachiko lied.

They then walked while engrossed in a discussion about the movie marathon they had during the summer break. How Sei-sama uncharacteristically screamed while watching a horror movie and was teased endlessly by Eriko-sama for being a 'chicken'. Or the time when Youko-sama unexpectedly cried when they watched _The Notebook_ , (but nobody had the courage to tease her about it), and even the time when the usually demure Shimako laughed her heart out while viewing one particularly hilarious movie. There were also days when Rei or Yoshino-chan came to visit and even slept over.

As for Sachiko, she was not really that much fond of movies. But the fact that she was sitting on the floor beside Yumi most of the time, was something that she immensely enjoyed. Just being close to her, with their arms linked or with the younger girl resting on her shoulder, was good enough for her.

 _"Start anew with Yumi-chan. Your past together may have been lost, but you can still create new memories in the present and in the future."_

She had indeed created new memories with Yumi, just like her onee-sama said, and this brought a smile on her face.

\- - o 0 o - -

They soon reached the student council room, which unexpectedly looked like a storage room. Their rose mansion may be old and lacks any of the grandiose any 'mansion' was supposed have, but still, it was way better than what the Hanadera council have. Boxes containing props and other non-student council things, like broken clocks, geta sandals, empty goldfish bowls among other items, were stacked on one side.** But since it was an all-boys school, Sachiko didn't really expect much. The conversation with Yumi had been an effective distraction. Even the fact that Suguru-san was close by was something that Sachiko momentarily forgot. But by the time they entered the room to leave their things, everything rushed back to her. Like the fact that she was surrounded by unknown males. And it was making her feel uncomfortable and somewhat dizzy.

They soon exited the room and headed out to the field. And at the sight of all those sweaty and unruly males, her nausea worsened and her vision started to spin. Her heart was hammering so loud against her chest as her discomfort grew. She unconsciously leaned onto Yumi's arm for support and it was not long before Yumi noticed how pale she looked.

"Onee-sama, please get a hold of yourself." Came Yumi's frantic voice.

"Calm down, Yumi. I just need to-"

But she wasn't able to complete her statement as her knees buckled. Strong firm hands held onto her shoulder, stopping her from falling to the ground.

"Sachiko?"

"Rei…"

"You should have stayed back at Lillian if you knew this would happen." Rei gently scolded her.

 _Too late for that now_ , Sachiko wanted to argue, but was just too weak to retort.

The event was just starting and the rose onee-samas were still on stage, oblivious of Sachiko's emergency. But Shimako quickly noticed. She came over and volunteered, "I will contact the manor and ask if they can send a car right away."

"I'll go get some water for her." Yumi said.

"Stay here, Yumi" Sachiko-sama whispered weakly.

"I will be back, onee-sama," Yumi reassured her before the younger girl ran back to the place where she knew she saw a vending machine, which was somewhere near what looked like a cafeteria.

Yumi was almost at her destination when in her rush, she bumped into a Hanadera student. Their collision caused for her to fall to the ground, while the boy only lost his balance, which made him take an unsteady step backward.

After steadying himself, "I'm sorry about that" the boy quickly apologized.

Yumi still had her head bowed down, so she did not see when the boy extended his hand to her.

"Here" he said, to get her attention. "Let me help you up."

Yumi lifted her gaze. And her eyes widened…

…and so did the boy's.

 _Yumi onee-chan?_

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** **Descriptions of what the Hanadera Student Council room looks like was made with reference the Marimite Light Novels, translated in English by the 'baka-tsuki . org' team. I can't thank them enough.

We are almost at the end ^_^. Good day and let me know your thoughts.

…

 ** _Next Chapter_** _:_

 _"You must be looking for the cafeteria to have drifted around this area. There is shortcut that way." The boy pointed._

 _His words were quite dismissive, as if urging for her to go on her way. But his eyes were saying otherwise, there was some sort of hesitance reflected in them, as if he wanted to say something, but was stopping himself from doing so._

 _And finally, with great reluctance, Yumi turned away from the curious stranger. She was already a few paces away from him when she heard him say in a quiet voice, "They took you away from us and we never really had a chance to be a family..."_

 _Yumi stopped in her tracks, and when he faced him again, he had a sad smile on his face._


	16. Behind the Veil of Lies

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei. Also, I borrowed the use of the word 'Institute' from Cassandra Clare's Shadow hunter series books.

 **A/N:** And as always, here is my second update for the week.

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Behind the Veil of Lies**

\- - o 0 o - -

Yuuki's eyes widened in surprise.

He had a sister, whom he believed died when he as four. The details of what happened to his older sister was not shared with him by his parents. Whenever he tried to broach the topic, his mother's eyes would start tearing up and his father's expression would turn serious.

" _Let us not talk about her, Yuuki-kun. The memory is still too painful for your mother."_

But Yuuki knew that it was also the case for his father, so he chose never to ask again. Despite _awakening_ the previous month, Yuuki was not sent to live in an _Institute_. When he asked about it from his parents…

" _We lost Yumi-chan already and we will not allow for you to be parted from us too."_ His mother said.

" _I will do everything in my power to keep you with us, Yuuki."_ His father added.

Yuuki thought it would be cool to live in a house with boys around his age. He loved his parents, but still, as a teenager, it would be fun to not have a curfew, to play video games all night and to have someone to talk to about girls.

His father was among the leaders of the _Society_. He knew his father, Fukuzawa Yuichiro, was not really into politics. He just aimed to join the _council_ for sake of their family. From the little that Yuuki knew, among them was the fact that the _council_ more than fifteen year ago had something to do with his sister's death. Thankfully, those members had now been replaced.

Then just earlier this week, as he went down to get a bottle of blood to drink, he overheard his parents speaking with someone from the _Institute_.

" _She is awakening, sir."_

 _Yuuki took a peak from where he was hiding. And standing by their door was a man wearing a suit with the Society's emblem on it._

" _Are you sure?"_

" _Yes, sir. But it seems the serum has not fully dissipated from her body, effectively stopping the girl from completely turning. Should we take action, sir?"_

" _No, let us allow my daughter to recover, I heard that she has been ill and absent from school today. But once she recuperates, I will tell Shizuka-chan to convince her to willingly come to us."_

 _Yuuki stiffened. Did his father just said, '_ _ **daughter**_ _'?_

" _But what if she suddenly awakens, sir? We don't know how much damage it would cause."_

" _Based on the scientists' estimate, how many days does she have?"_

" _Four to five days from today."_

" _Then let us wait until then. Have you completed the necessary preparations for her arrival?"_

" _Yes, sir. We have double checked that the facilities are ready and secured?"_

" _Good. Please inform the headmistress of Lillian after Shizuka-chan makes her move. I want this done the right way."_

" _Yes sir, understood."_

 _Yuuki heard their front door being opened and closed. He was about to head back to his room and forget about his thirst, when he heard his father's tired voice again._

" _Did we do the right thing back then, Miki-san?"_

" _We didn't have a choice. We had to keep the fact that our daughter is a 'pure blood' a secret, otherwise the council would had her experimented on, or worse, killed."_

" _And how different was that when we asked for the Kobayashi's help? Yes, they have taken her to a secured place and we got to see her from time to time, but she has been injected with a strong dose of the serum since she was a child. That drug had only been tested once and we all know what the records said happened to that poor girl fifty years ago. That was why I believed them when they claimed that Yumi-chan had died when she was five."_

 _Upon hearing what those people did to his sister, Yuuki felt distressed and angry as well. He had very limited memory of when they were young, from the few times he got to see her and play with her, but still, Yuuki knew that they had been close. And somehow, he longed to see this person whom his father believed to be 'Yumi onee-chan'._

" _Yuichiro-san, if they hadn't made us believe that Yumi-chan was dead, the council would have found her sooner or later. For some reason, they found out that I gave birth to a 'pure blood' and they were searching for her at that time. It was painful for me too, but I am only looking at the fact that at least, she is still alive and well. The Kobayashi's initial objective may not have been pure, they have wanted to try their 'improved' serum on her. But in the end, we have proven that they learned to love Yumi-chan. They gave her a normal life, something that we couldn't have given her."_

" _Why are you defending them?"_

" _Oh, trust me Yuichiro-san, I would have bitten their neck and killed them myself if they didn't save Yumi-chan's life."_

 _Yuuki trembled, it was the first time he ever heard his mother speak that way._

" _But she has no memory of us."_

" _It was to be expected, since it was a side effect of the serum. I would have taken her out of that manor and explained everything to her myself if it weren't for the fact that we cannot act rashly now."_

" _Yes, of course we can't. I am just worried that with the serum suppressing her hunger all these years, our daughter would awaken to be a…"_

" _No Yuichiro-san, our daughter will not be a monster. Her re-awakening will indeed be difficult and it will probably take months before she will be able to control her hunger. But still, I have faith that she will live through this. You aimed to be a member of the council specifically for this, Yuichiro-san. The moment you heard from Tooru-san almost three years ago that Yumi-chan was alive, you've worked your hardest to get to where you are now - so you could protect our daughter. Don't give up now."_

 _Yuuki had heard enough. Now that he heard the truth from his own parents' lips, he felt an inexplicable anger for the council members who doomed his sister's fate. And he had mixed feelings for the couple who took her sister and experimented on her, but ended up saving her life. His sister may be a 'pure blood' (something that he would research later on to understand what it really means), but to him, to them, she was still a part of their family._

…

Yuuki's initial shock was starting to die down, and the girl who appeared to be equally surprised earlier, she seemed to have recovered as well.

" _But she has no memory of us."_ His father had said.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking to where I was going." She said, just as she took his offered hand and pulled herself up.

 _No, I guess she really forgot about us…about me._

"By any chance, is your name Yumi?" He still decided to ask, just to be sure.

The Lillian student dusted herself off before facing him to answer, "Yes, Fukuzawa Yumi. How did you know my name?"

 _Fukuzawa?_

Yuuki was somewhat surprised. It seemed the people who took her sister in, allowed her to keep her family name for some reason.

"Y-you are among the Lillian delegates, right?" Yuuki was glad to have thought of a good excuse. His parents seemed to be stopping themselves from explaining everything to Yumi onee-chan, and this made him realize that probably, he shouldn't either.

"Yes."

"We knew your names through the student council (that was a complete lie). The Lillian Student Council officers are quite popular at Handera, since it is very rare for us to get female visitors (this is somewhat true though)."

But the girl seemed convinced ( _so gullible Yumi onee-chan)_ , and this made Yuuki sigh.

"Can I get your name too?"

He just kept on staring at her for a moment, so Yumi thought there was something on her face. But that was just her stupid thinking. If she would be rational, it was quite expected for the boy (who looked like her) to be this surprised. And she should be too, if she weren't worried about her onee-sama.

"Excuse me? But I need to go." She tentatively said, hoping to shake the boy out of his obvious daze.

"Oh. I'm sorry for spacing out like that." Yuuki apologized.

"Not at all." She smiled. "Gokigenyou." After one final greeting and as she was about to turn away to leave ( _Onee-sama needs me_ ), she heard the boy respond to her earlier question.

"Yuuki." He almost shouted, "My name is _Fukuzawa_ Yuuki."

Yumi froze, she was torn between rushing off to get that drink and go back to her onee-sama, and staying to speak with the boy some more. She was not so oblivious so as not to realize that there must be some sort of familial relationship between them. She was adopted, but thoughts of looking for her biological family was a thought she hadn't entertained in a long time since she believed that they abandoned her. But upon hearing Shizuka-sama's story yesterday, she was not so sure anymore if her real parents had indeed given her away.

"You must be looking for the cafeteria to have drifted around this area. There is shortcut that way." The boy pointed.

His words were quite dismissive, as if urging for her to go on her way. But his eyes were saying otherwise, there was some sort of hesitance reflected in them, as if he wanted to say something, but was stopping himself from doing so.

And finally, with great reluctance, Yumi turned away from the curious stranger. She was already a few paces away from him when she heard him say in a quiet voice, "They took you away from us and we never really had a chance to be a family..."

Yumi stopped in her tracks, and when he faced him again, he had a sad smile on his face.

"…but please believe that you have a family waiting for you. Please come back to us, Yumi onee-chan."

She was still trying to make sense of what the boy had said, when someone called out her name from behind her.

"Yumi-chan?"

She unwillingly turned away from the boy to quickly look at the person who called her.

It was Rei-sama.

"You're taking too long, and Sachiko, despite her condition, asked me to leave her in Shimako's care to go look for you. The car from your manor is already in front of the Hanadera school gate and they brought Sachiko there."

"Oh, I'm sorry Rei-sama. I was just speaking with…"

Yumi turned to face the boy once more…

…but he was gone.

"Yumi-chan?"

"Ah, nothing."

Yumi scanned her surroundings, looking for any sign of Yuuki-san, but he was nowhere in sight.

 _Please come back to us, Yumi onee-chan._

The boy's plea reverberated in her heart. And despite not knowing who he was, Yumi felt an inexplicable ache in her heart to see him again…to ask what his words meant.

"Yuuki…" Yumi whispered in the wind. But still, he didn't show himself again.

So with a resigned sigh, "Let's go, Rei-sama."

"Who were you talking to?" Her senior asked as they walked away.

"I wish I knew", came Yumi's meaningful reply.

\- - o 0 o - -

Yumi soon left with Sachiko-sama and was driven back to the manor. Her onee-sama's head was on her lap and she was holding her hand the whole time.

She gazed down at her onee-sama's sleeping face and felt extremely guilty, because if it weren't for her, Sachiko-sama wouldn't have joined them at Hanadera. There was so much going on with her life that she never had to chance to consider what her onee-sama would feel.

If only Suguru-san's words didn't affect her that much for her to have an attack, her onee-sama wouldn't have to worry about her. And if only she didn't come and speak with Shizuka-sama yesterday, she wouldn't be this confused and troubled right now. If she were only able to hide her tears from her onee-sama, she believed the older woman wouldn't have taken the brave decision of going to Hanadera despite her fear of men.

But if she were to be given a chance, would she really change how her week went? Would she really choose not to remember Sachiko-sama? Would she really opt not to know the truth and learn about the lies? Would Yumi have preferred not to have met Yuuki-san earlier?

They soon reached the manor with all her questions still unanswered.

 _At least for tonight, I will forget about everything and only think about onee-sama…not leave her side and be with her until she gets better._ Yumi said to herself.

But it seemed her troublesome times were far from over, because just as she was about to follow the servants that carried Sachiko-sama up to her room, she was greeted by an unexpected visitor.

"Good afternoon, Yumi-chan."

The lady before her seemed to be in her late fifties. Her kind and gentle face was lined with wrinkles, but despite this, she still looked beautiful for her age. She was wearing a simple black and white nun's outfit and there was a chain around her neck with a crucifix for a pendant.

The woman carried herself with confidence and elegance that Yumi momentarily stopped and gaped. And somehow, she knew who this person was.

"Gokigenyou, headmistress."

"Gokigenyou. I know you are worried about your onee-sama's well-being, but can I ask you to join me in the library for a moment?"

Yumi froze. She did plan on speaking with the head of Lillian soon, but not now, not with her onee-sama in this state.

"Yumi-chan, let's go inside." The older woman's smile was so reassuring that she just found herself nodding in agreement.

 _No, Maria-sama…not now, please not now…_

They walked to the library in silence. The older woman settled herself on one of the leather couches and patted the space beside her, urging Yumi to sit down.

Yumi sat herself beside the woman. She had wanted to mirror the calmness of the woman in front of her, but her heart and her mind were already in chaos even before their conversation began. She had wanted to know the truth about her life and her missing past. But to have it all these "truths" shoved down her throat, one after another, was too suffocating. Somehow, she wished to go back to her peaceful days, to the days where her only problems were either how to get an above average grade in Math or how not to embarrass her onee-sama too much. It was all too much for a 16-year-old girl to take.

"Everything must be confusing for you now, Yumi-chan..." The headmistress' words seemed to be a response to the emotions evident on her face.

"…to have met the people who were either a part of your past or those who have knowledge of your past. I wish I could defer this conversation and let you be with Sachiko-san for a while longer, but I know as well as you do that we have very little time."

Yumi's face donned a troubled expression, but still nodded.

"You may not have fully grasped the implications of your awakening, Yumi-chan, and that is to be expected. After all, Shizuka-san's words may be frightening, but in your mind that's all that they were, words."

"So it's all true? What Shizuka-sama said?"

Until now, Yumi's mind was still rejecting the idea, hoping they were all lies or that Shizuka-sama got the wrong person.

The older woman looked at her sadly, "I'm afraid so."

"She told me that she could help me get back all my memories, but…" Yumi stopped, and it of was the older woman who continued to say the words that she couldn't.

"…you don't want them back?"

"…"

A minute lapsed in silence, as every little detail that Yumi chose to push out of her consciousness was slowly sinking deeper into her heart and mind.

"I have a soft spot for you, Yumi-chan." And the way the older woman looked at her was indeed tender and gentle. "You are like her…my sister. She was born _awakened._ "

"…"

"The moment she was brought out of the hospital, she was taken straight to the laboratories of the _Society_. They never saw her as a human child…only as a creature to be experimented on." Her voice was tinged with a mixture of anger and sadness.

"That was the first time that the _serum_ was tested. It wasn't as effective as it is now, so she died a year later. So when _we_ found out about you _three years ago_ and how successful the serum had been when used on you, I felt glad. What those council members did to my little sister devastated my parents, especially my mother who sank into depression. So I made a vow that once the next 'pure blood' appeared, I would do whatever is in my power to make sure she survives."

 _Wait…what?_

She should've felt sad at what the headmistress' family went through so many years ago, however, Yumi's mind was stuck on the two things the older woman had mentioned.

 _ **Three years ago?**_

Just how many people knew about her accident and the past she herself didn't know about?

"It wasn't a car accident…" Yumi whispered.

The headmistress shook her head.

 _ **We?**_

 _Who else were involved in these fabricated lies that they implanted in her head?_

"Is it the _Society_?" Yumi's brow furrowed as countless inexplicable emotions swirled in her heart.

"No. On the contrary, _we_ were a group of people who opposed the _Society_ and its council."

Yumi unconsciously scooted away from the older woman. Just when she thought she could start trusting this person in front of her…

"What did you do to me?"

"We needed to do it…to drug you, so that the council would not find out about your existence."

"…"

 _This person is involved in what happened to me? Why I lost most of my memories?_

"You were unconscious when you were initially brought to the hospital by Tooru-san and his attendant, and it was him who asked me and your foster parents to come. Tooru-san, through his connections, was aware that I had a sister like you and thought that I would like to help. While he was able to contact your foster parents through the caretakers of his family's vacation home."

 _Tooru-san? What am I doing with him?_

But Yumi wasn't able to ask the questions on her mind. She was just too dumbfounded at what she was saying.

"When we arrived at the hospital, it was already starting… Nobody noticed how quickly your wounds were healing and how fast your body replaced the blood that you've lost. Nobody realized you were _re-awakening_ at a rapid pace. The moment you opened your eyes, you were out of control, destroying everything you could get your claws on. The room you were in was completely destroyed. You were like that because you were so _thirsty_ and _hungry_. We feared for your and our safety, so we made the decision to inject you with the serum, and we didn't stop until you calmed down and returned to normal. For a moment, we were afraid you'd die from that much serum in your system. But your body…your _blood_ was strong, so you lived. You were in a coma for months and when you awoke, you'd lost most of your memories."

Yumi remained speechless as she replayed each and every detail she had just heard. Somehow, her mind was finding it hard to grasp that it was _her_ being described by the headmistress.

 _Oh gods, I'm a…_

"D-did I, hurt anyone?"

"Yumi-chan, that was not you…"

But still…

 _What did I do back then? What if I…_

Yumi was suddenly on her feet as a surge of adrenalin rushed to her body. "Why did you bring me here at the manor?! Why didn't you just _**kill**_ me?!"

The headmistress pursed her lips.

Yumi's whole body was shaking, "I was dangerous! I could have killed you and your friends back then…gods, I could have killed onee-sama and Sei-sama and…"

Her thoughts were in turmoil at the realization of what she was capable of doing in her _awakened_ and _hungry_ state.

"Weren't you listening to what I said, Yumi-chan!" The headmistress shouted as she too stood up. "You are asking why we didn't kill you?!"

At the older woman's outburst, Yumi suddenly deflated, but it also broke the dam within her and caused for the tears she was holding back to start spilling from her eyes.

"You are asking why!"

They were enveloped in silence for a moment and the only sounds that could be heard was Yumi's soft controlled sobs and the headmistress' deep breaths as she calmed herself down.

"Look at me, Yumi-chan."

"I refuse to see you as anything but who you are. You are a human person, not much different from my innocent little sister, and I refuse to act like those heartless council members who saw themselves as gods who hold our lives in their hands."

"But I am a-"

"I know what you are." The older woman said impatiently, "But what you are _not_ is a monster. You will survive your _awakening_ , because you are a strong person."

Yumi shook her head, because at that moment, she was anything but a 'strong' person the woman before her believed her to be.

"Have more faith in yourself. There are a lot of people who wanted for you to live, who will never ever give up on you. Once you survive your _awakening_ and satiate your thirst, you will be back to normal."

"How can you be so sure? No one like me have survived this long."

"Because I prayed to Maria-sama every day since I met you three years ago and wished for you to get through this. Because you're survival is the fruit of something that has been carefully planned by the people who cares for you, and because your friends will never allow you to just give up without a fight."

 _My friends…_

 _Onee-sama…_

"Even Tooru-san, despite how adamant he was to be a member of the council after his father's death, chose to ignore his principles, entered the chaotic world of politics and accepted the council position offered to him so he could support his friend. And together they were able to influence the other council members to vote in your favour."

"So why are telling me all this just now?"

"Because we needed for Yuichiro-san, your biological father, to become a council member first before we let the Society know of your existence. That way, we could somehow ensure that they would not immediately order for you to be executed. It took some time for him to gain enough influence and power to be chosen as one, but eventually he did it."

' _My real father is doing all this to save me?'_

"My foster parents, why did they have to surrender themselves? If I have the support of the council, why do they have to sacrifice themselves? They should have just remained hidden from the _Society_."

"It is important for the council to think that Yuichiro-san was not aware of your existence prior to your foster parents 'admittance' and 'revelation'. So we had agreed to keep you here in the manor, once you became an adult of course, under the premise that you were a _normal infected_ , until the right time came for them to know about you."

"But in doing so, didn't you put the lives of everyone here in danger?"

"I am closely watching you, Yumi-chan. I would know if you were starting to awaken. You came close last May, but I knew I shouldn't worry because the serum was still strongly working then. But early this week, with you slowly regaining your memories and with the serum dissipating from your system, I knew it was time for you to know the truth. We cannot keep you hidden forever and we cannot keep relying on the serum to keep you normal either, because it is less effective now that you are an adult. Difficult as it may be to accept, we still need the _Society's_ help if we want to keep you alive."

"But what if you arrived too late? What if I completely _turned_ before you arrived to suppress me? What if I bit and drank from my onee-sama?"

There were so many 'what ifs', so many fears in Yumi's heart that she couldn't stop her tears from falling again. But that too wasn't enough to lessen the pain and burden she was carrying in her heart.

"I have eyes and ears in this house and at Lillian. I am confident we can suppress you if you are only **starting** to awaken. They will spring into action as necessary. However…"

Yumi unconsciously held her breath as she await for the headmistress' next words.

"What I am not sure about, is if we can still suppress you once you **completely** _turn_."

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 _ **Next chapter:** Farewell to White Roses_


	17. White Roses

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** I have been writing _primarily_ from Yumi's point of view (sometimes Sachiko's) throughout the story, but for the next two chapters, you will be seeing what the other characters think of 'Fukuzawa Yumi'.

* * *

 **Chapter 16: White Roses**

\- - o 0 o - -

 **Shimako**

Fukuzawa Yumi-san's self-depreciating nature was not unknown to Shimako. The girl, despite her countless wonderful traits, seemed to always look down upon herself. The usual source of her insecurities were her looks and her grades, saying that she was average compared to the rest of the Yamayurikai officers. She had wanted to counter this and say that she thinks Yumi-san has her own charm that draws people to her, like Shimako herself for example. But it was not like she would openly admit it to the girl, especially not when Sachiko-sama was around. Their senior seemed to already hold a grudge against her, probably due to the older woman's protectiveness (Shimako wanted to say 'over'-protectiveness, or if she would be bold enough 'jealousy') of her imouto.

Deep within her heart, Shimako desired to have a stronger and deeper bond with the other girl. However, with the girl's ever present onee-sama, there was no way for her to start in deepening their relationship...and it was not just for the blood. Drinking blood was not exclusively for soeurs. Since the first time she met Yumi-san, Shimako was embarrassed to admit that she had wanted to _drink_ from her friend. It was an obvious sign that she was drawn (she didn't want to use the word 'attracted') to her. Yumi-san was a mysterious girl for making her feel this way. But it was a feeling that she would never tell anyone, not even Maria-sama.

Yumi-san fainting after having an attack that Monday made Shimako berate herself countless times. Yumi-san was standing beside her and Rei-sama, and she didn't even notice that the Hanadera student council president was already saying those things to her friend. After her friend lost consciousness, and while they were waiting for their car to arrive, which Sei-sama had contacted, Youko-sama pulled Kashiwagi-san outside of the room. Shimako did not hear what was discussed, but one thing was clear to her, that the man said something for Yumi-san to suddenly have an attack, one that was similar to what happened during the Maria Festival so many months ago. She had asked her own onee-sama as to what was causing those attacks, but Sei-sama said she didn't know and that Youko-sama was not telling her anything. She knew the two roses were close, so the fact that Youko-sama was keeping it a secret from Sei-sama meant that it must be something serious.

Yumi-san missed school the following days, but it wasn't unexpected. So Shimako was a little more diligent in putting additional remarks in her notes, knowing that her friend would rely on it. Modesty aside, she knew that she was above average in terms of academics, thus, didn't need too many notes for her to remember the lessons. Yumi-san on the other hand may need some more details. Not that she was looking down at her friend (she would never do that), she was just being considerate.

She thought Yumi-san was going to miss school again on the third day, so she was beyond surprised when her onee-sama arrived alone at the rose mansion that Thursday morning. Her onee-sama didn't say where Sachiko-sama went. The only words she said were _"Yumi-chan's up"._ Shimako knew that Youko-sama wanted to get angry that they allowed Yumi-san to go to school (which was obviously the reason for Sachiko-sama to skip their meeting). Then again, it was early morning, and none of them were in the mood yet to be talkative. If it weren't for Lillian School Festival that would take place in one month's time, they wouldn't have bothered with an early morning meeting.

But just when Shimako thought that she would be able to see her friend's smiling face again, it was Sachiko-sama who got ill. It had surprised her that their senior even agreed to go to an all-boys school despite her fear of men. It didn't make sense to her that Rosa Chinensis en bouton would miss **all** the preparatory meetings, only to suddenly decide that she will attend the event itself. She was rushed back home and Yumi-san went with her, while the rest of them followed immediately after the event was over.

Youko-sama had been so worried that she disappeared (quite literally) the moment she stepped inside the house. For a second, she noticed Youko-sama's eyes were aglow, before her senior willed herself to speed up as she rushed to her little sister's room. Shimako knew that they had these abilities, but refrained from using them because of the _thirst_ that would come soon after. Although, it seemed to her that Rosa Chinensis had just fed, so she could probably afford doing that.

Yumi-san skipped dinner that night. At first she thought that her friend just wanted to stay by the latter's onee-sama's side. But when Youko-sama went to join them at the dining room, she informed them that their friend was sleeping in her room, saying that probably, she hadn't yet fully recovered from her condition. Rosa Chinensis chose not to say anything more and no one asked her about it, so they just ate in silence.

In Shimako's opinion, Yumi-san's arrival made the manor a livelier place to live in. Even her onee-sama wasn't this jovial and bubbly before her friend came. Poor Yumi-san may always be the victim of Sei-sama's teasing, but she never felt an ounce of jealousy over her friend. On the contrary, it was she who was a bit envious of her own onee-sama, seeing as her beloved senior was able to openly show her fondness of the girl, despite Sachiko-sama's outbursts.

It was already that Saturday morning when she got the chance to speak with her friend again. Yumi-san arrived on the second car, having to wait for Sachiko-sama. But being first years, the two of them were responsible for preparing tea for the onee-samas. Yoshino-san still haven't arrived at that time.

They were by the sink, waiting for the water to boil, when Shimako turned to speak with her friend.

"How are you feeling, Yumi-san? You weren't able to join us for dinner last night so I was little worried."

The other girl smiled, "I am sorry for worrying you, Shimako-san. I was just a little tired yesterday, but I am feeling better now."

"I'm glad if that's the case. By the way, if you have any questions regarding my notes or about the lessons that you missed, just let me know."

"Notes?"

"Yes, the ones I gave you yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Yumi-san's face flashed a troubled expression, but in a fraction of second, it was gone again. "I-"

"Forgot about it?" Shimako supplied. "It's quite understandable, with what happened to Sachiko-sama and all."

"Yes...umm, thank you for understanding."

"And don't worry about it if you're not done copying them. You can just finish them tomorrow and give them back before dinner."

Yumi-san paused again, and she could just make out as her friend's lips soundlessly moved, ' _tomorrow…'_

"Yumi-san?"

"Ah yes. Actually, I will give it back to you later tonight. You are so kind, Shimako-san."

 _Where did that came from?_

Shimako was perplexed.

"What are you talking about, Yumi-san? It's natural that I would let you borrow my notes since we are classmates."

"No, I mean the fact that you always look out for me, from the first day I arrived at the manor, even during the Maria Festival and until now. I can't thank you enough for always being there for me, even if it is as simple as letting me copy from you or taking your time to explain the lessons that I missed. So if there is anything I can do to make it up to you, just let me know."

Shimako's cheeks warmed, "You don't have to thank me, Yumi-san."

But her friend grabbed both her hands. Shimako was unable to fight a full blown blush as Yumi-san squeezed her hands and pulled it closer to her chest. "No…please tell me what you want in exchange for all your kindness."

As she was agonizing how she should react to her friend's words and actions…

"Hey! Shimako, Yumi-chan. The water is boiling. That whistling sound is annoying." Her onee-sama called their attention.

Shimako mildly jumped in surprise, "Ah, sorry onee-sama," making Yumi-san release her hold on her hands. They were so focused on their conversation that they didn't notice that the kettle whistling.

Her onee-sama was moody that morning, and it was quite understandable. So before they were scolded again, Shimako rushed to prepare tea, and Yumi-san worked in silence alongside her.

"…"

"Umm, Yumi-san?" She said without looking at the other girl.

"Yes?"

"If there is something that I want…"

"…"

"…it would be for us to become roses together. So please, until we reach our third year and graduate, I hope we will always be together."

The other girl just smiled without affirming her request…but it was a smile that made Shimako's chest ache somehow.

 _Yumi-san..._

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **Sei**

Sei was glad that they only had half-day classes during Saturdays. Youko had fed from her the previous night, causing for her to have a headache the whole morning. Her stomach also hurt from the packs of cranberry juice her friend forced her to consume that morning to help with her anaemia.

She remained in her classroom even after all her classmates had left. She was standing by a window, gazing lazily at the horizon, lost in deep thought. For some reason, her mind was filled with thoughts of that young bubbly girl who had so much of an influence on the current 'Satou Sei'.

If she would be asked if she likes Fukuzawa Yumi, Sei would answer with a resounding 'yes'. If she would be asked if she wanted to drink her blood, that would unabashedly be a 'yes' again. She had tasted a few drops of her blood on Yumi's first day at the manor and its taste was something Sei would never forget. Drinking someone's blood has a deep connotation for people like them, or so her red rose friend would say. But Sei didn't care about those rules, that's just how she is. Youko berated her time and again about it, saying that promiscuity was unacceptable (it was just _feeding_ , she would reason), but her peer never had any issues if she was drinking from her. If Sei would have to be blunt about it, she would even go so far as saying that Youko found it pleasurable. However, this _feeding_ relationship was something that they kept as a secret from everyone. Honestly, Sei had no issues sharing this with her friends, but as expected, the very uptight red rose deemed it necessary that no one knows about their _arrangement_.

That _uptight_ -ness was also another trait of the person Youko chose for her little sister, Sachiko. Add to that, that little princess was also aloof, stubborn, hot-headed, strict… the list went on and on, but two words were added upon the arrival of Fukuzawa Yumi in the manor – 'possessive' and 'jealous'. And for these reasons, Sei found it extremely entertaining to tease those two red roses.

But Sachiko was not the only one who changed when Yumi came. Before that young girl came along, Sei was aloof and withdrawn from the world. She liked to mind her own business and never cared much about other people.

On her first months in the manor, Sei liked to stay in her room and to not speak with anyone. She went to visit her onee-sama from time to time to _feed_ from her or to give her blood, but other than that, she liked to keep to herself. Youko was her exact opposite. That girl liked to meddle in other people's business, especially hers. She found it annoying at first (well, she still does, she's just used to it by now), but because of this, Youko found her way to Sei's heart. She couldn't count the times when she ignored or got angry with the red rose, but still, Youko never gave up on her. She remained by her side, silently (and not so silently) supporting her from the side lines.

Eriko on the other hand was someone whom she had known since kindergarten. They had a fight (not just an argument) when they were kids because Eriko called her an 'American' and she retorted by the saying that the other girl had a wide forehead (she really does!). And because of this, they'd been enemies during elementary, never missing a chance to stick their tongue out or glare at each other whenever they'd meet. But as they grew older, they matured (by a little) and became civil with one another. But because of this, Sei never forgot about Eriko.

But for the case of Yumi, Sei was easily drawn to the girl. And until now, Sei could not begin to figure out exactly why she liked that young brunette.

As she was thinking this, someone suddenly hugged her from behind.

If she were not in deep thought or if she didn't have nausea, she would have sensed when the person arrived. But because she didn't, she gasped in surprise.

Her 'captor' giggled. "Got you, Sei-sama!"

Sei smiled, "I should have known you have the hots for me, Yumi-chan."

The younger girl released her, "you wish!"

She then turned around and faced the younger girl.

"You were always surprising me with your hugs. So for once, I wanted to be the one to surprise you."

"Well, you got me. Anyway, is there anything you need from me?"

Yumi furrowed her brow, "Hello, earth to Sei-sama, we have a meeting this noon. We've been waiting for quite some time before Youko-sama asked me to look for you."

Sei smiled, she'd been spacing out for that long?

"Where was the first place you looked?" She asked.

"This was my first stop."

"Then I think you deserve a price for finding me in one attempt."

"I don't need one. And actually, I think I am the one who owed you something."

Sei was perplexed, "What do you mean?"

"I think I never really thanked you properly, Sei-sama. It was thanks to you that I easily adjusted into living in the manor."

"You mean with me teasing you all the time?"

The young girl laughed. "I guess you're right. I am not a masochist or anything, and it was not that I liked that you teased me a lot, but with you doing that all the time made me feel like I was a part of your 'family'. It made me feel like I have a place in your tight little group even if I was always the butt of the joke."

Sei's heart started pounding loudly in her chest. She couldn't put her finger on it, as to why she was feeling this way, but somehow, she was not liking having this conversation with the younger girl.

"So what will it be, Sei-sama? You can ask me to be your servant later today or I can massage your shoulders." Yumi said with a smile.

"I don't want one, Yumi-chan." She said in an irritable tone. She was liking this conversation less and less, and she wanted nothing for it to end and for them to just go to the rose mansion.

Yumi playfully extended both her hands, a mock attempt in stopping her from leaving. "I will not allow you to leave without telling me what you want Sei-sama." She playfully said.

Sei sighed. "Fine, a kiss then…on the lips."

"K-k-kiss?"

The other girl's eyes widened in surprise.

It was not like Sei was serious, she just wanted to get Yumi to stop whatever game she was playing. So she just stood there and awaited for the younger girl's response, which she expected to be a resounding 'no'.

But Yumi surprised her yet again when she balled her fist to the sides, squared her shoulders and gazed into her eyes.

"Okay."

Now it was Sei's turn to be shocked.

"What?"

"I said, okay."

"I heard you the first time. But I mean...are you serious?"

"Then you weren't?"

"I-"

Sei didn't expect this.

"Sei-sama?"

"I-"

"If you weren't serious, then just tell me what you really want."

"…"

' _I want you to stop whatever you're doing Yumi-chan, you're starting to scare me.'_ But Sei didn't utter these words because whatever she was feeling was just that…gut feelings and hunches without any proof.

And since she was still lost in thought, she didn't notice when the younger girl took tentative steps towards her, stopped a foot away from her, reached up and rested her small trembling hands on her shoulders and gazed up at her unsteadily.

"I can't kiss you on the lips, but I hope on the cheeks would be fine." She whispered.

Sei was unable to move away nor push her away. She just stood motionless and dumbfounded as the younger girl's face drew closer to hers, feeling her warm breath fanning her face and her body heat reverberating from her flushed cheeks and neck.

Sei felt her incisors involuntarily elongating as she sensed the younger girls strong heartbeat, smelled her sweet delicious blood strongly pulsing through the veins in her neck. She swallowed hard and forced down the strong urge to _feed_ off of the young unknowing girl standing so unguardedly close to her. Sei was still weak and therefore needed some source of strength, Yumi's blood seemed to be the perfect source for that.

Her heartbeat sped up and her ears started ringing in anticipation. Her hands felt clammy and she felt a bead of sweat roll down from her temples. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. And with her agility, she knew she still had a chance to escape and stop what is to come.

But she didn't. She remained rooted to the spot as she agonized on whether or not she should _drink_ from the girl who was so oblivious of her dilemma.

She still wasn't able to make up her mind at the very last second, just before the girl's lips brushed her cheeks. She closed her eyes and unconsciously turned her head, unexpectedly claiming the girl's lips.

Yumi immediately pulled away, hand on her lips, faced flushed and eyes wide in disbelief.

It was just a mere touching of the lips. A gentle brush for a fraction of a second. But still, she had kissed Yumi.

"S-sei-sama…"

It was honestly an unintentional act on her part, but still…it happened.

The ringing in her ears still did not stop, but with what just happened, her _thirst_ for her blood was now forgotten.

 _Should I apologize?_

She knew she was blushing too, which was so unlike her. If she were her normal self, she would have a witty remark by now or a smart teasing comment, but her mind was just blank. Again, she blamed her light-headedness and anaemia for her thoughtless act. Then she blamed Youko for _drinking_ too much.

It was Yumi's small shy voice who broke her out of her musing, "Please don't tell anyone, especially not onee-sama."

The girl then bowed low to her, a clear sign of gratitude, before rushing towards the door.

"Where are you going, Yumi-chan?" She called out.

Yumi stopped in her tracks. And with her back to her, she responded, "To the rose mansion of course? You better hurry too, Youko-sama seemed irritated already." Then she rushed off again without waiting for her and not allowing her to say anything else.

Sei placed a hand over her chest, her palm flat against the fabric of her Lillian uniform, feeling the strong beat of her heart, silently wondering why that feeling of dread never left her as she watched the younger girls retreating back.

"Yumi-chan…"

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** I am a big Sachiko-Yumi fan, but somehow, I wished it would better if Yumi accidentally kissed Sei in the anime.

Anyway, let me know your thoughts on the story.

...

 _ **Next Chapter:** Yellow Roses_


	18. Yellow Roses

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Yellow Roses**

\- - o 0 o - -

 **Rei**

Rei checked her watch and noticed that it was only a few minutes before the bell rang to signal that the last of that day's classes were over. She gazed out of the window and somehow, her thoughts drifted to the youngest of the red roses. It was quite unusual for her, but with Yoshino going on and on about how much worried she had been for her close friend, it was unavoidable for Rei to think about Yumi-chan.

Fukuzawa Yumi-chan amazed her somehow. However, it was not because she succeeded in lightening up the mood of their morning meetings with her cheerfulness, while most of their friends were still in a daze, obviously only half hearing what Rosa Chinensis was saying due to their blank unseeing gazes. Given their nature, that was to be expected, so she was wondering why they even bothered having early morning meetings anyway.

It was also not because Yumi-chan never got angry despite always being teased by Rosa Gigantae, her onee-sama, Rosa Foetida, and even Rosa Chinensis (who rarely joked). It was not even the fact that the young girl was able to make the quiet Shimako blush, nor the fact that she easily became close friends with Yoshino. What amazed her was how much of an impact the young girl had on her close friend, Sachiko.

Before Yumi-chan came, she never knew Sachiko to be a possessive and easily jealous person. Due to her strictness, Rei also never expected for Sachiko to be a really sweet onee-sama. Sure, her close friend scolded Yumi-chan in front of other people and never missed a chance to correct the girl whenever she made mistakes, but Sachiko also made sure to fix the girl's already perfect tie, or to straighten her perfectly pressed sailor collar, or (and this was something that really surprised Rei) to go to Hanadera, despite her strong disdain for men, just because she was so worried about the younger girl.

Even when Sachiko was nauseated and feeling unwell yesterday, she still requested for Rei to rush off and find her friend's petite soeur because she was starting to get worried. And Rei hadn't even mentioned the countless times when Sachiko missed their Yamayurikai meetings (which had never happened before, except when they were meeting with the Hanadera student council) because of Yumi-chan, or the blushing (which Sachiko never realized everyone noticed), especially not how much gentler her eyes and her mood seemed to be these past few months. How Yumi-chan did all these in a matter of six months was something that Rei found to be quite unbelievable. Then again, she was sure that the young clueless girl wasn't even aware how much of an influence she had become to Lillian's ice princess.

The bell soon rung and it shook Rei out of her musing. After the last minute assignment their teacher gave them, Rei proceeded to stand up and get her bag. She was quite surprised to find the person she had just been thinking about, standing outside of her classroom.

"Gokigenyou, Rei-sama."

"Gokigenyou."

"Would it be okay if we walk together to the rose mansion?"

Rei smiled and nodded her head. "Are you sure it is me you wanted to walk with and not Sachiko?" She teased before they started walking down the hallway.

"Ah no, you're not mistaken, Rei-sama." Yumi answered, falling into step with her.

"Then is there anything you wanted to say to me?"

"Yes, actually. I wanted to thank you for helping onee-sama yesterday."

"There's no need to thank me for that. I'd be more than glad to help out any of my friends, and that includes you. And if there's anyone that needs thanking, it is you."

"Me?"

"You may not realize it and Sachiko may be too stubborn to admit this, but you are a good influence on her."

"In what way?"

Rei looked at the girl, and surely, it was as if there were question marks floating above her head that Rei wasn't able to stop herself from laughing.

"You really haven't noticed? She is so different from the person she was before you became soeurs."

"Really?"

"Sachiko seem to really like being an onee-sama, fixing your tie even if it isn't crooked, fussing over you too much, pulling you away when Sei-sama gets too close, always scolding you for every small thing…"

"I am not sure that last one counts, Rei-sama."

Rei donned a thoughtful expression, "I guess you're right."

And they both shared a hearty laugh.

They continued sharing stories, most of which were about Sachiko, until they reached the rose mansion. And just when Rei was about to open the door, she felt a gentle touch on her arm.

She turned to face the younger girl and her hand involuntarily released her hold on the door knob upon seeing the serious look in the younger girl's eyes. She was smiling, but Rei knew that it was not the cheerful smile the younger girl usually had.

"Rei-sama, I hope you continue to be good friends with my onee-sama. I know she is stubborn and sometimes…" Yumi paused then gently shook her head, "or probably _most_ of the time, very difficult to handle. But aside from Youko-sama, you are the only one whom she listens to and you seem to be good at dealing with her."

Rei took a moment to look into the other girl's eyes, trying to understand the meaning behind her words. "Why does it sound to me like you're leaving, Yumi-chan?"

Yumi laughed a hollow laugh, she was obviously forcing herself.

"Where will I be going, Rei-sama?"

"I don't know. It just sounds like that to me."

"It does? Then I apologize for giving you that feeling."

"Rei, Yumi?"

It was Sachiko.

"What are you doing standing out here?"

"Ah onee-sama. We were just chatting. I will go ahead of you since I need to start making tea."

The younger girl gave a curt bow and rushed to open the door. But before she entered, "Please promise me, Rei-sama."

With the pleading look in Yumi-chan's eyes, Rei involuntarily nodded her head, and with that, the younger girl smiled and proceeded to enter the rose mansion.

"What was that all about, Rei?"

She looked at her friend, gauging if she should mention her hunch or not.

"Rei?"

"Nothing important."

Sachiko raised her eyebrows at her, but decided to drop the subject.

She would observe Yumi-chan some more, and if this weird behaviour of hers still continued until next week, then she'd speak to Sachiko about it. But for now, she decided to hold her tongue, because surely, there was no way for Yumi-chan to just suddenly disappear, right?

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **Yoshino**

Fukuzawa Yumi-san is a precious person for Yoshino. All those who had been in the same class as her was no stranger to the few times when she had a fit, wherein she felt a stabbing pain in her chest and she experienced shortness of breath. As such, while at school, she sat out on physical educations classes, abstained from joining the sports festival and was not allowed to attend out-of-school activities, so there were very few chances for her to make friends. That was why, aside from Rei-chan, Yumi-san was her first friend.

She decided to have a heart surgery during their first term, and the only person at school (aside from her cousin of course) who knew about it was Yumi-san. She specifically avoided telling Rei-chan about her decision because she knew that her cousin would be opposed to it. But still, Yoshino knew that she needed to do it so she could fulfil her dream of walking shoulder to shoulder with Rei-chan. She hated it whenever her cousin fussed over her, or lent her a hand, or skipped kendo practices because of her.

After her surgery, and without her requesting for it, Yumi-san came to visit her every day while she was recovering. It was during those visits when she got to know Yumi-san more. She's a klutz, looks down upon herself, spaces out a lot and is very forgetful. But she is also thoughtful, selfless, kind, and honest. Yoshino couldn't find a better 'first' friend.

So Yoshino was quite troubled with how their conversation went that afternoon.

"Yoshino-san"

"Hmmm"

They were the last to leave the Rose Mansion, having volunteered to be the ones to do the cleaning. Shimako-san, though a first year, was also a bouton, so she left with Sachiko-sama and Rei-chan, who were still talking about the preparations for the school festival even as they exited through the biscuit door.

"I just wanted to ask, what made you decide to finally have the surgery? I mean, I knew about your dream, but wasn't it difficult to make that decision?"

Yoshino looked her friend, curious as to what brought about that question. "That was quite sudden, Yumi-san."

"Was it?"

"Yes. Is that the reason why you called me up last night? To ask about my heart surgery?"

Yumi-san furrowed her brows for a moment, as if she was thinking hard.

"Wait, don't tell me you forgot that you called me last night? Unless my mother heard the name wrong?"

"Ah no, I did call. I guess it just slipped my mind."

But looking at Yumi-san's reaction, Yoshino could somehow infer that her friend was still unsure about agreeing with her, but in the end decided not to push her. Instead, she decided to truthfully answer her question.

"It was scary."

"What?"

Yoshino placed down the last cup she was wiping before replying exasperatedly, it seems her friend was not herself again that afternoon. "Yumi-san, you were asking about my heart surgery, right?"

"Ah yes."

 _Geez, Yumi-san is more distracted than usual._

"The decision wasn't easy to make, I'll tell you that."

"..."

"That was why Rei-chan didn't want me to go through with it, because she was scared for me. But in the end, what made me decide to do it was the thought that I was doing it for her, for Rei-chan, more than anyone else."

"Yes, for your _onee-sama_ …" Yumi-san said in a solemn voice.

Somehow, Yoshino had a feeling that her experience was being used as a reference for something that Yumi-san was probably going through. But before she asked about it, the other girl suddenly grabbed both her hands and squeezed it tight.

"Thank you, Yoshino-san, for giving me a boost of courage. You truly are a great friend."

Her cheeks coloured. _How can Yumi-san say these embarrassing things so casually?_

"W-what are you-"

"Oh, I just remembered that I wanted to give you something."

Yumi-san quickly let go of her hands, walked towards the chair where her bag was placed and pulled out something.

"It's not much, but I hope you like it."

She was then handed a small package covered with a simple wrapping paper, and judging from the size, it was probably a book mark.

"Why?"

"I wasn't able to give you a gift during your birthday, so please think of this as a belated birthday present."

Yoshino's heartbeat sped up as she gazed at her friend's face. Good thing her heart was already healthy, otherwise, she would have passed out by how fast her heart was beating. Yumi-san's lips were smiling, but there was something unsettling in those hazel brown eyes of her friend's.

She wanted to ask about it, but just couldn't…because she couldn't begin to articulate the inexplicable dread she was feeling.

 _Just what is going on with Yumi-san?_

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

" _Shizuka-sama gave me one vial of serum. She said it would be enough to last for more than a day, so I could at least say 'goodbye'."_

 _The headmistress looked at her sadly. "It will be hard for them, Yumi-chan."_

 _Yumi nodded her head, she understood that much. She knew it would be hard for her, but it would not be any easier to the people she would leave behind._

" _Just like before, I could lose some of my most recent memories, but it will be necessary if I want to last for a day longer. I know I don't have much time, I can feel it already starting."_

 _"There is also a possibility of you not losing too much memories this time, because the serum is not as effective on you as it used to be. And a_ _s I said, you are brave, Yumi-chan, to be able fight against the signs of awakening without breaking down."_

" _I have the large dose of serum in my blood to aid in suppressing my thirst, headmistress."_

" _But it won't last long…"_

" _Yes. That is why I would like to ask for one more favour from you. Can you please help with injecting the serum into my body?"_

 _The older woman regarded her with a mixture of pride and sadness, "Of course, Yumi-chan."_

* * *

\- - o 0 o - -

 **Eriko**

Fukuzawa Yumi-chan is an interesting person. Such were Eriko's thoughts as she leaned by the doorway of their living room, observing the youngest of the red roses. Yumi-chan had invited Yoshino-chan and Rei over at the manor to watch a movie. She said everyone appeared to be so tired, after all that happened at Hanadera and with all the preparations for the school festival, and that they deserved a good relaxing break.

Why was she interesting?

First was because she was _normal_ , or at least she seemed to be when she first arrived at the manor. It was not the fact that she didn't have fangs or her eyes weren't glowing. Instead, the girl _seemed_ so normal that Eriko couldn't _sense_ any blood lust from the girl when she first arrived, which was quite unusual for someone who was newly _awakened_ or someone who was about to be _awakened_ , and anyone sent to the manor usually fit into either of these two categories. Add to that, her looks and features were average and she looked like the quiet timid type, which to Eriko, screamed "boring!"

What got her interested in the girl though, was the way she acted when Youko started strangling her. _Normal_ people would've already cowered in fear, but the young girl didn't. Instead, she even _dared_ Youko to kill her. If it weren't for Sachiko, who stopped her own onee-sama from killing the girl, Fukuzawa Yumi-chan would've been dead by now.

That was another thing that caught Eriko's interest…Sachiko's apparent attraction to the girl. And not just Sachiko, but also Sei and later on, Shimako. So clearly, there must be something about that girl that drew people to her. She got the answer that evening as she went out of her room to go to dinner. She bumped into the younger girl (who was obviously clueless as to where the dining room was) and ended up conversing with her about topics she didn't usually open up with strangers. She ended up telling Yumi-chan about her family.

Eriko is the youngest child of a wealthy family. Her father is a mayor of a city, a very proud man, but a doting father to her. Her brothers also have a sister complex, which is why she grew up to be quite spoiled. Being separated from her family had been very difficult for Eriko, so that was why as much as she could, she avoided talking about them. At first, she was glad to be sent to live in the manor because she hated being overprotected and being fussed over so much. It was only after a few days after when the depression sank in and she started missing her family.

"Eriko-sama, I'd like to ask for your help in getting some popcorn from the kitchen."

She had been lost in thought that she didn't notice Yumi-chan stood up to approach her.

"Sure" she smiled.

"By the way, thank you for agreeing to watch a movie this afternoon, and for helping in convincing Rei-sama and Yoshino-san to come over."

"I had nothing better to do anyway, also, I do enjoy watching movies with everyone."

"I am also glad that Youko-sama agreed. For a moment I thought she'd shoot down my idea. Sei-sama looks a little tired too."

"It can't be helped because Sei has just been fed from." Eriko answered. Her two fellow roses may think that they were doing a good job in hiding their _feeding arrangement_ , but really, Eriko was not so oblivious to not notice when Sei looked paler while Youko became healthier.

"Oh" Yumi-chan blushed.

"What are you blushing for? Is the topic of _feeding_ quite uncomfortable for you to talk about?"

The younger girl's blush deepened still, but didn't answer.

Eriko may not be as perceptive (and as meddlesome) as Youko, but with how flustered Yumi-chan was whenever the topic was brought up, it seemed as if the younger girl found being fed from to be quite (embarrassingly) enjoyable. Not to mention Sachiko also had a strong reluctance to say anything about the same topic. Really, _feeding_ is just a normal occurrence for people like them and not necessarily something that is supposed be so _intimate_. Unless of course, the two people involved had deeper feelings for each other…feelings that were obviously more than soeurs.

"Is it intimate?" She wasn't able to stop herself from asking.

 _Maybe Yumi-chan doesn't know._

" _Feeding_ Sachiko, is it an intimate experience for you?"

The younger girl averted her gaze, a clear sign of affirmation.

"Well, just in case you don't know, it's not supposed to be like that. At least not for _normal_ soeurs."

She had wanted to elaborate more, because the younger girl appeared to be so confused.

"Do you get what I'm saying, Yumi-chan?"

"I-I think so…" and the blush on her cheeks was an indication that she probably got what Eriko meant.

To give the girl a little more hint, she added, "I don't feel elated whenever Rei feeds me, and I think it's the same for Rei when she gives me her blood. But it's not really an issue, we're _**only**_ _sisters_ after all."

Yumi-chan didn't utter a word after that and Eriko chose not to push it ( _maybe some other time_ , she thought), because she was not in the mood to tease the younger girl somehow.

They soon reached the kitchen and it was Eriko who proceeded to get the packs of microwavable popcorn. She handed them to Yumi-chan to be cooked.

"Eriko-sama?" The younger girl spoke after pressing the buttons on the microwave oven.

"Yes?"

"I was glad that I bumped into you on my first day, while I was going to dinner. Do you still remember that?"

Eriko smiled, she was just thinking about the same incident earlier. "Yes, I still remember it."

The younger girl leaned against the kitchen counter, her eyes fixed on the microwave oven, but Eriko knew that the girl's mind was elsewhere. "You made me feel at ease back then. If it weren't for you, I think I would have already left the manor."

"I doubt Youko would allow you to leave."

"Youko-sama…"

"Well, because as I said before, it may be the three of us that are responsible since we are the oldest, but really, can you call Sei 'responsible'?"

They both giggled.

"How about you?"

"Me?"

"If you knew I was leaving…back then…would you have stopped me?"

Eriko thought for a moment before answering, "I guess not. I am not really too meddlesome like Youko. Also, you are an adult, being 16 and all, so I trust that you knew what you were doing."

"I see."

And she could just hear a mixture of relief and sadness in the younger girl's voice. It made her curious somehow.

"But that would be in the past." Eriko said after a few seconds.

"…"

"If you ask me now" she turned to look at the girl, and Yumi-chan turned to face her as well, "Like Youko, I think I would stop you."

The younger girl's eyes widened in surprise.

"And so would Sei, Shimako and most definitely Sachiko."

The younger girl bit her lip and Eriko could just make out the conflicting emotions that were reflected in her eyes.

The microwave pinged and Yumi-chan proceeded to pull out the first one and to put the second pack inside. With the younger girl's back to her, she whispered, "Thank you, Eriko-sama."

"Let's talk about something else, this topic is quite unsettling for me somehow, like someone's going away, and I don't like it."

"…"

"I treat everyone as family, and I hate the feeling of being separated from my family."

"Me too." Yumi-chan said quietly. "If possible, I want to stay like this forever with everyone. But I know, some people are bound to leave someday."

"Are you talking about our graduation, Yumi-chan?" But somehow, a part of Eriko knew that it was not the case.

"…yes of course. You'll all graduate soon and we'll part ways."

Despite affirming her words, it still didn't settle Eriko's doubts.

"That's why we should cherish every moment that we have together." Yumi-chan added.

The younger girl went back to standing beside her and they waited in silence. By the time Yumi-chan spoke again, it was when the second popcorn was ready.

"Anyway, I want to thank you again for making me feel welcomed back then." She smiled.

"Don't be so formal, Yumi-chan." Eriko said, "And it wasn't really my intention to begin with, to make you feel at ease."

"But still, you did." The younger girl continued smiling before she bowed low.

"I said stop it." Eriko was starting to get irritated.

But the younger girl just looked at her with a sad look in her eyes before proceeding to say, "I guess we should head back."

"Yes, we should."

And as they walked back to the living room, with Yumi-chan walking behind her, Eriko would swear that the younger woman's steps were getting lighter. The heavy footfalls, joyfully bouncing off the walls that usually signaled Yumi-chan's arrival were getting fainter, either because her movements were getting more refined, or she was starting to become like _them_ , which was not an entirely bad thing. After all, Yumi-chan _awakening_ is not something unusual, right?

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** BTW, I stopped putting up previews since we are 3 chapters away from the ending. I have the next part done, which as you have probably guessed will be entitled "Red Roses". But since I cannot fit into one chapter Sachiko  & Yumi's last interaction (at least for this story), I have it into parts 1 and 2. I will probably be posting one other chapter within the week, after effecting the _beta review_ changes. Sachiko  & Yumi's part turned out longer than I had anticipated because I enjoyed writing about it so much. A bit (or a lot, depending on your point of view) dramatic in my opinion, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless when you get to read it.

I am currently finalizing the epilogue and will be sending it out to my kind beta reviewer within the next few days.

Anyway, as always your comments on the story is appreciated. Good day.


	19. Red Roses (Part 1)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** The chapter turned out to be much longer than I had planned, so I had to split it into parts 1 and 2. I hope you enjoy reading the last of the three rose farewell, and my favorite, the red roses.

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Red Roses (Part 1)**

\- - o 0 o - -

 **Sachiko**

Rei and Yoshino-chan left just before dinner. After sending them off, the six occupants of the manor headed for the dining room.

The main topic of discussion that night was the upcoming Lillian School Festival (Sachiko was glad that no one brought up the Hanadera festival, as if it didn't even happen yesterday). Everyone was talking about the Yamayurikai play, what their classes were planning on doing and what tasks would be assigned to them during the day of the event.

However, despite the liveliness of the topic, Sachiko felt like there was something 'off' about her friends. She didn't say anything about it because she couldn't put a finger as to _specifically_ what it was. Rather, it composed of random unusual behaviours or reactions. Like Sei-sama for example, she didn't tease Yumi the whole night and was more quiet than usual. Or Shimako, who had concerned look on her face. Eriko-sama, despite actively participating in the discussion, looked somewhat irritated. And lastly, her onee-sama had a displeased look, in spite of talking about her favourite topic as of late, their school play.

Sachiko wanted to ask about it, but if she did, what would she say? Should she ask, " _What is wrong with all of you?_ " Or " _Why do you all look so troubled?_ "

No, that would be foolish and it wouldn't make sense.

Only Yumi remained to be the most talkative, keeping the discussion going. But that in itself was something unusual in Sachiko's opinion, as if her sister was trying _too_ hard.

Dinner was soon over, with Sachiko keeping her thoughts to herself. Yumi was the first to exit the door and was gone even before she had a chance to speak with her. She wanted to figure out at least what was going on (if there really was something) with her own little sister.

So that night, instead of heading to her own room to retire for the night, Sachiko knocked on the door of the room beside hers. She had been knocking for a minute and still, Yumi was not answering. She knew her sister was in there, she could _sense_ her. So after patiently waiting for another minute, Sachiko decided to let herself in.

Yumi's room was constructed and decorated the same way as all the other rooms in the manor. But to Sachiko, she would not mistake the room for anyone else. The room had Yumi's scent and _feel_ to it, and it was enough to bring a smile on her face and warmth in her chest…to know that she was currently enveloped by her little sister's scent.

"Onee-sama?" Yumi's voice was calm, but somewhat startled when she called out to her. The younger girl was standing outside of her balcony, with a hand on the rail and her body slightly turned to look at her. Her face was hidden in the dimness of the night, so she wasn't able to see the expression on her face.

 _No wonder she didn't hear me knocking._

"I've been knocking for a while and you weren't answering. But I knew you were here, so I let myself in." Sachiko replied as she walked to stand beside her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear, onee-sama."

"Yes, I realized that."

And they giggled.

"By the way, how did you know I was here?"

"I always know when you're close by, Yumi."

And she was telling the truth. It may be because of the bond that they shared, but she always seemed to know if Yumi was close by. Also, Sachiko found it amazing to be able to easily spot her sister even if she was amidst a sea of Lillian students.

"We should probably step inside, onee-sama. You'll catch a cold."

"But you've been out here for a while yourself."

Yumi smiled, "I realized it just now…that it was cold."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Sachiko asked.

"I rarely step out of the balcony, onee-sama. But when I did a few weeks ago and saw what view I have, going here became somewhat of a habit."

Sachiko followed her sister's gaze, and a smile lined her face. Yumi was right, her view was indeed wonderful. Before them was a view of the garden below…a sea of red roses, all in full bloom. And as if it wanted to impress Sachiko more, the full moon peaked out of the clouds, casting a yellow light to illuminate the flowers.

"Isn't it wonderful, onee-sama?"

"Indeed it is."

Yumi moved closer to her and embraced her left arm.

 _I thought you weren't cold_ , Sachiko would have liked to tease, but for now, chose not to.

"Is it okay if I am this close to you for tonight, onee-sama?" Came her sister's timid voice.

"Yes."

 _And not just for tonight, Yumi._

Sachiko's heart constricted with happiness, just as it always did whenever Yumi was this close to her. She even proceeded to momentarily reach down and touch the younger woman's face, before she leaned her cheek against her sister's hair.

She knew it was not normal to feel this way about her soeur, to always want to touch her and sometimes to be _too_ possessive of her. But she couldn't stop herself…couldn't control her heart. It was a feeling she had kept hidden and had chosen to ignore in fear of losing the best thing she had in her life.

"Onee-sama." Her sister's voice shook her out of her musing.

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember the day when you asked me to be your petite soeur?"

"What about it?"

"I admired and adored you even though I had no memory of you."

Sachiko smiled smugly, "I know."

She knew from the very start that Yumi adored her, with or without her memories. It was conceited on her part, but that was one of the things she could say with certainty. But still, a part of her wished that it was the same kind of 'affection' she felt for the younger girl.

"And it felt so weird when you started acting differently around me."

"I know. You're easily flustered, Yumi, and you easily blush."

Yumi hugged her arm tighter, but in contrast to her actions, the younger woman proceeded to say, "That's so mean onee-sama. You knew how I felt, didn't you? But you still chose to ignore me back then?"

"I was afraid of _draining_ you, Yumi." Sachiko answered automatically…and then froze. It was the one topic that she dreaded. And in a quieter voice she attempted to continue, "When I was younger I-" her voice faltered. Despite her confidence earlier, this was one topic she remained to be unsure about. She knew her imouto was bound to remember it sooner or later, but to actually be the one to tell her that she nearly _killed_ her, was filling Sachiko with so much dread.

As she was agonizing over this, Yumi reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. She was surprised at her sister's gesture to give her comfort, but it only made her guilt intensify.

"…I know." Yumi whispered.

Sachiko's eyes widened in surprise and started to pull away, wanting to see the expression on her sister's face, but Yumi didn't allow her.

"Yumi…"

"I…remembered just recently."

"But-"

Her imouto squeezed her hand tighter and said in a small voice. "You didn't know what you were doing back then."

Sachiko was finding it hard to believe that her sister already remembered what happened, and despite all that, she was still standing by her side, holding her hand and never letting go. She thought that if Yumi remembered, her beloved junior would return her rosary and start hating her. And it was that thought that had scared her out of her mind.

She had wanted to apologize for it, but never had the courage to do so. She wasn't sure if her sister remembered the incident anyway. It was the one memory she had always wished to erase from her soeur's and from her own mind…but she knew it was impossible.

Unknown to Sachiko, it was only the previous day when Yumi learned about this. After imploring the headmistress, she was informed of the reason why she was rushed to the hospital back then, what her 'accident' really was.

…

 _She was already in her room, writing down in one of her unused notebooks something that would help her when she awakes the next day after being injected with the serum._

 _Once she was done,_ " _I'm ready headmistress. I am sorry to keep you waiting." She announced, as she closed the make-shift journal and left it in the middle of her study desk._

 _She stood up to the approach the older woman, who was gazing out of one open window, lost in thought. But upon hearing her, the headmistress faced her and she smiled back._

 _Then a thought struck her. It was so sudden that the smile on her face quickly faltered._

 _Her foster parents told her that she was in a car accident, but the headmistress said that that wasn't the case. So, what was she doing in the hospital and what triggered her re-awakening three years ago?_

 _The older woman was already walking towards her bedside table where the syringe and the vial of serum were, when Yumi found her voice to ask, "Headmistress?"_

" _Yes?"_

" _What happened back then?"_

 _The other woman turned to look at her, "What do you mean?"_

" _What triggered my re-awakening back then? You said I was in a hospital…"_

" _Yumi-chan, I promise, you will remember it eventually."_

" _Please headmistress. I really want to know about it now."_

 _Somehow, deep in her heart, despite not knowing the reason, she knew it was important for her to know about this._

" _Please…"_

 _The older woman sighed and stared at her for a long time, obviously considering what she should say or how she should say it. Yumi looked back at the older woman, and_ _she couldn't help but notice that the headmistress' ageless eyes suddenly looked so old and tired. Then in a very quiet voice she said "You were fed from and drained, Yumi-chan, by the person closest to you."_

 _Yumi didn't get it at first, but the older woman continued._

" _It was an accident. That person had been suppressing her hunger for a very long time. She had awakened for quite some time, but was still refusing to inform her parents, and was adamant not to yield to her thirst. So when she saw you, the person she values the most…"_

 _Then a memory flashed in her mind. A vision a young girl with flowing black hair, maddened blue eyes, bloody elongated fangs…_

 _Yumi gasped._

 _And from the expression on her face, the headmistress must have known that she already realized whom she was talking about._

" _It was an accident, Yumi-chan." She repeated._

 _Yumi brought a hand to cover her open mouth. Her mind was reeling, as pictures, images of how violently she had been pushed down, pinned the ground, bitten and drained, flashed before her eyes._

 _Her knees buckled and she was forced to crouch down to the carpeted floor as she felt her stomach lurch, as if the little that she ate that day wanted to come out of her stomach._

 _Red…everything was red…_

' _Enough', Yumi thought._

 _But the images kept on appearing before her eyes. Long nails dug into her skin, both their hairs sticky of blood, and her own neck was searing in pain that she thought she'd die. She could even remember the silent prayer she kept on repeating in her head, the hopes that what was happening was not true, and the hurt that it was her, of all people, who did this to her._

" _She didn't mean it. I was told that you were wounded at that time. Your blood had enticed Sachiko-san, and she lost herself."_

 _Yumi's mind was still trying to process what happened, when she felt the familiar signs of awakening. She bit her lip as hard as she could and tilted her head up, clinging into that speck of consciousness, not wanting to black out._

' _Not yet!' she screamed in her mind._

" _Yumi-chan!" the older woman exclaimed, but Yumi didn't hear her as the pain in her head exploded, blinding her._

 _Whether she was screaming or not, she didn't know. Her whole body was in agony._

 _It was painful…so painful._

 _Then suddenly, she felt a pair of arms pushing her to the floor._

" _Hold her down!"_

" _Yes headmistress!"_

 _She was thrashing, and she knew that if she used her full strength, if she willed herself to be stronger, she could push her captor off of her._

 _Then, she felt a cold sensation from her upper arm. The coldness spread to her arm… shoulders…neck…then finally onto her chest and into her head. And with it, the pain was subsiding, but not the emptiness of her stomach nor the dryness of her throat._

" _It will be enough for a day… But no longer than that…"_

" _Are you sure headmistress? We should probably bring her straight to the Main Institute, surrender her to the Society."_

" _No. Not yet. But continue watching her."_

 _Yumi was drifting in and out of consciousness as the drug seeped through her system once more, taking away the pain. What she didn't know was how fast the older woman's heartbeat was when she witnessed Yumi's face drained of colour and how her eyes glowed gold._

 _The guard, that was always watching Yumi from the shadows, leapt in and helped, while the headmistress willed herself to be stronger as her fangs elongated, her eyes glowed and her claws sharpened. She had not been in this form for a long time, but she knew she could hold (or even fight) a semi-awakened Yumi, if needed._

" _If you were younger, that dose would have lasted for a week, a month even. But not anymore…You have a day, Yumi-chan, make the most of it."_

 _And Yumi lost consciousness._

…

 _She awoke the next day at the sound of Maya's voice._

" _Yumi ojou-sama?"_

 _Yumi opened her eyes to a brightly lit room. She sat up and scratched her eyes before looking at the clock. It was an hour before she was supposed to wake up._

" _It's too early, Maya."_

" _But you told me yesterday to wake you up early. You were with the headmistress yesterday and I was cleaning your room, when I was asked to leave. Then you told me to wake you up earlier than usual today because you had some things to do. You don't remember, ojou-sama?"_

 _No, she didn't remember. Her memories were clouded, like there was some information she had forgotten. But unlike when she was younger, when her mind was totally blank of the most recent events, now, she could somehow remember that she spoke with the headmistress just yesterday, that they were at the Hanadera School Festival and that she only had one more day to be with her friends…with her onee-sama…_

…

Yumi remembered that particular memory, of what her onee-sama did, a few minutes after they were done eating dinner. That was why she immediately left the dining room and went to her balcony to cool her head and to calm her heart.

"I'm sorry, Yumi." Her onee-sama's forlorn voice shook her out of her thoughts.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, onee-sama."

 _Because I may have been the same, or even worse, when I re-awakened._

Her onee-sama tried to pull away again, but this time, she allowed her. The older woman turned to look at her...to look deep into her eyes.

"What you did back then, it was an accident, right? You didn't know what you were doing, onee-sama."

"But I almost-", her onee-sama's voice faltered.

Somehow, Yumi was beginning to understand what the people who cared for her felt when she re-awakened. Because if it had been Sachiko-sama, would Yumi have killed her knowing she was dangerous? Would she have given up on her and not give her a chance to fight?

No, Yumi would never have done that. Even if it meant that she'd sacrifice her own life, she would never give up on Sachiko-sama. So she shouldn't either…should not give up hope that she would survive her own _re-awakening_. She should remain strong and believe that she could come back to them.

But still, because there is a chance that Yumi will not come back, she needed to be braver tonight. She have decided to be more open and honest, to ignore her embarrassment and to tell her onee-sama how she feels…just in case she never returns.

Yumi then took hold of both her hands and brought them closer to her lips, gently kissing them, before saying, "But you didn't."

 _Thump. Thump._

Sachiko's heart beat loudly in her chest as she gazed at Yumi, with her eyes closed, her lips on her clasped hands and their bodies, only inches apart.

She felt her cheeks warm to a blush as her heart swelled with that familiar warmth. Yumi, despite knowing her darkest secret chose not to push her away…to not hate her, and even chose to be close to her like this…to hold her like this. And somehow, Sachiko felt a strong urge to do what she did back then…to brush her lips against Yumi's, but not as innocent and naïve as her intentions before.

Sachiko involuntarily wet her lips. With Yumi being this tender, she was finding it hard to control her heart.

It was somehow similar to when she was younger. But unlike back then, if she chose to act on her strong desire to kiss her now, she could not pass it off as an act of curiosity…because it really wasn't.

…

 _It was the summer before she turned. She was bound to leave the vacation home that day because classes will be starting soon and she needed to go back to Tokyo. She was looking for Yumi so she could say goodbye, but the younger girl was nowhere in the house. So instead, she went out and walked towards the woods. True enough, she found her in the exact same spot, in the clearing in the middle of the woods, sitting down on the grass, with her back comfortably leaning against a tree. It was Yumi's favourite spot._

 _Sachiko slowly approached the younger girl, who, judging from her even breathing, seemed to be asleep._

 _A smile tugged on her lips at how cute the younger girl's sleeping face looked. She crouched down beside her, brushed stray strand of hair out of the girl's face and silently gazed at her face. She then brought her hands to cup the younger girl's face when…_

 _Thump thump…_

 _Sachiko quickly withdrew her hand. She felt her heartbeat sped up and felt her cheeks warm to a blush, and the warmth spread to her ears and her neck._

 _She was perplexed, trying to understand what she was feeling._

 _She placed a hand on her chest, feeling the loud beating of her heart. Her palpitation continued, but her gaze never left the younger girl's face…and one thought flashed in her mind, 'What would it feel like if my lips brush those soft cheeks of hers?'_

 _Sachiko was suddenly on her feet, surprised at what she was thinking._

 _But still…she was curious. And Yumi was asleep, so she wouldn't know._

 _A minute lapsed in silence as Sachiko debated whether or not she should satisfy her curiosity. Until finally, she squared her shoulders, balled her fist and took on a resolute expression._

' _It's just the cheeks…'_

 _Sachiko slowly crouched back down and steadied herself. She looked at Yumi's peaceful face, swallowed hard to push down the lump in her throat, and exhaled audibly._

 _Thump thump…_

' _It's just the cheeks…' She repeated._

 _Slowly, she inched closer._

' _What if she wakes up?'_

 _Another deep breath._

' _No, it would be over even before she opens her eyes.'_

 _Another inch closer._

' _We are friends, after all…there's nothing wrong with doing this, right?'_

 _Sachiko unconsciously licked to wet her lips._

' _Yumi wouldn't know, anyway…'_

 _But just as her lips were an inch from the girl's cheek, Yumi suddenly opened her eyes._

" _Sachi-"_

 _And their lips brushed._

 _Sachiko's eyes widened. She was getting cross-eyed at the proximity of the Yumi's face, but still, she didn't move away…and neither did Yumi._

 _For a moment, neither was breathing…and the only sound she could hear was the loud beating of her heart, as if threatening to burst out of her chest._

 _Then she realized that Yumi's head was already leaning against the tree, so it would be difficult for her to move away. With this thought in mind, it was Sachiko who pulled away._

 _She quickly averted her gaze, but didn't move away. Their bodies were so close that she could feel heat coming from the younger girl's body and she knew that probably, Yumi could feel her body heat too._

 _She stared unseeing at the ground, her mind still stuck at what just happened a few seconds ago, and her lips, still tingling at the feel of Yumi's lips on hers. She was fighting the urge to touch her lips, to give any implication that she was still thinking about it._

" _Sachiko-sama-" Yumi began, but she immediately cut her off._

" _Why did you suddenly move?!" Sachiko exclaimed._

 _She was suddenly on the defence._

" _What? But you-"_

" _What do you think happened? What do you think I did?" Adrenalin rushed to Sachiko's head, and so did a hundred excuses for her actions._

" _W-well, y-you-"_

 _The younger girl was flustered, and so was she. Her only advantage was that she was better at articulating what she 'needed' to say._

" _I was about to remove something from your face until you suddenly moved." Sachiko reasoned._

" _Why did you need to be so close?"_

" _W-well, so that I could see it better."_

" _Really?" Yumi's eyes widened._

 _Was her explanation (not 'lie', well…a white lie perhaps…it was really unintentional!) was working?_

" _Yes. Why would I lie to you?"_

 _Yumi looked at her suspiciously, but soon enough, reached up to touch her own cheeks._

" _Where?"_

 _Sachiko squeezed her fist, stopping it from shaking, before she gently lifted to point an inexistent dirt on the younger woman's face. "There."_

 _Yumi proceeded to wipe that part, looked down on her hand to see if there was indeed a stain._

 _Before Yumi questioned her, "You missed it" Sachiko immediately said, pulling out the handkerchief from her pocket and wiping a spot on Yumi's cheeks._

 _After that, she immediately stood up, pocketed her handkerchief and said, "Why are you here anyway? I am leaving today and I was looking for you to say 'goodbye'."_

" _Ah, it totally slipped my mind. I'm sorry."_

" _Really Yumi." She sighed in mock exasperation, and with it was a hidden sign of relief._

…

No, what she was feeling now was definitely not out of curiosity. Sachiko genuinely, truly wanted to kiss Yumi, and she also understood why.

Yumi looked up at her and whispered, "There's nothing to worry about, onee-sama."

Her face must have looked troubled for Yumi to say those words.

"No, I-"

Sachiko's heart continued beating so hard that she thought it'd explode out of her chest. She knew. From the moment her fangs sank into Yumi's neck when she tempted her that night, she knew that she had feelings for her…feelings that were more than soeurs. But she swore not to act on them. To not let her feelings get in the way of their soeur relationship. She may be confident that Yumi adores her, but whether or not she _loves_ her the same way, was something Sachiko was not sure about. It would be a great risk to cross that line.

So when she held her close the second time she fed from her, she passed it off as being over protective, telling Yumi that she just wanted to support her just in case her knees gave away. And the third time when her lips lingered a tad bit longer on her neck before biting her, she told the younger girl that she was just having a hard time finding her vein. Then the fourth time, when her hand unconsciously slipped so close to the younger woman's mounds, she told her she was just pushing her down because she was moving too much. The list went on and on, but Sachiko had an explanation, a defence for all of them.

But somehow, there was something about this night. Maybe it was the atmosphere, with the rose garden below them and the beautiful starry sky above, or possibly it was Yumi's acceptance of her flaw, her heartfelt words saying that she understood and that she didn't see Sachiko any different despite of what she did in the past. It could also be because, with Yumi remembering her, the younger girl had changed with the way she spoke and acted around her. But whatever it was, the fact remained that all those things were pushing her to finally act on her feelings.

So as if in a trance, Sachiko pulled out her hand from Yumi's hold and brought her hands to cup her face. She gazed deep into her eyes and pleaded to the gods that her feelings would come across even without exchanging words. Because proud as she may be, good as she may be with words, Sachiko was unsure if Yumi would take it as well as she did with her violent past. She was scared out of her mind that Yumi would reject her and push her away.

 _Yumi, do you know what you're doing to me? Do you know how much you are tempting me right now?_

"Onee-sama…"

To Sachiko, Yumi's voice was gentle and sounded so alluring…so inviting. It was neither questioning nor accusing, and it was not helping with Sachiko's control.

So finally, she inched her face closer.

Again, Yumi chose neither to step back nor push her away. She stayed there, trapped in her gaze, looking unwaveringly at her, so oblivious of Sachiko's inner struggles.

Until…

"Would you like to feed from me, onee-sama?"

Sachiko instantly moved away, and as if resurfacing from underwater that was her feelings, blinked a couple of times.

"W-what?"

 _Did Yumi perhaps think that I was 'thirsty'? That my actions meant that I wanted to feed from her?_

"I asked if you would like to _feed_ from me." Yumi repeated.

"Why did you suddenly offer for me to _drink_ from you, Yumi?"

"You look like you needed it, onee-sama, and I think it's to be expected with what happened yesterday. I think _feeding_ from me will help hasten your recovery. Also, I feel somewhat responsible for it."

 _Is this what she thought was reason behind my actions? Really, Yumi, you're so frustrating!_

But since it was Yumi, that was to be expected. So finally, Sachiko sighed. "It was not your fault, Yumi…"

 _It was that Suguru-san's…for forcing you to remember in the first place._

"But still…would you like to _feed_ from me? Unless…"

"Unless?"

"You already fed from Youko-sama." Yumi pouted, effectively removing the frown on Sachiko's face and making her smile.

"Are you perhaps..."

"..."

"...jealous of onee-sama?"

Yumi's eyes widened, "W-what! I-"

"Well?"

"She's your onee-sama after all…" Yumi said, the expression on her face was that of a child's and it was so adorable to Sachiko.

She poked her sister's cheek, "But still, you're jealous of her, right?"

… _Quite possessive, huh? Maybe Yumi's no different from me._

"I'm sorry."

Sachiko giggled. "You don't have to be. And to put your _jealous_ heart at ease, I would like for you to know that I haven't fed from onee-sama in a _long_ time."

The younger woman's face brightened, "Really?"

"Yes. So I would like accept your offer, Yumi."

Yumi smiled widely, and that innocent child-like smile momentarily erased Sachiko's desire for her 'innocent' little sister.

 _That was so close. If Yumi hadn't said anything, I could have –_

Then Yumi extended her hand to Sachiko, "Let's go, onee-sama. Will my bed be good for tonight? Or would you prefer we do it in your room?"

Sachiko looked at her sister, there was something about Yumi tonight...something _different_ …

"Onee-sama?"

"Here's fine."

She took the offered hand and allowed herself to be pulled inside the room. Yumi momentarily let go of her to close the door, before proceeding to pull her to the side of the bed. Her sister then stopped, turned to face her, and kissed her hand one more time, "You can _feed_ as much as you need for tonight, onee-sama. I am quite healthy now, so please go ahead and _drink_ more than your usual."

"I wouldn't want to drain you."

"I know you wouldn't." Yumi's eyes, as always, held so much trust in her.

"I see. Then may I ask you to lie down, please?"

"Of course." Yumi smiled at her before climbing into bed.

Yumi was wearing shorts and simple sleeveless blouse. Sachiko's gaze unconsciously drifted onto her sister's exposed skin for a while, and when she realized what she was doing, she quickly averted her gaze and blushed.

Yumi must have noticed her froze, and called out to her. "Onee-sama, is something wrong?"

"No" Sachiko quickly denied and proceeded to pull up her skirt to her knees. She then crawled on top of Yumi, trapping her legs in between hers, and caging the younger woman's body in between her arms. Her long black hair cascaded down, framing her sister's face.

Yumi blushed, and Sachiko felt her lips quirked up to a smile. She loved it when she was able to elicit this reaction from Yumi, just from being this close to her.

Sachiko then elongated her fangs, slower than usual. For some reason, she wanted to slowly enjoy her _feeding_ tonight, to be with Yumi longer than necessary. Maybe she could at least indulge herself, considering how much she was suppressing her desires earlier.

Yumi watched in amazement as her incisors slowly lengthened, she even brought a hand up to touch them.

"You are that fascinated by them?"

"Actually…" Yumi bit her lip, "I hope you don't get mad, onee-sama…"

"Go on."

"I actually like it whenever you _feed_ from me." The younger woman's eyes were laced with so much worry, and it intensified when she noticed Sachiko's eyes widened in surprise.

"Onee-sama, please don't hate me. I know that it is not normal for me to feel this way, but…"

"Yumi-"

"Eriko-sama explained it to me earlier. I didn't know that it was not-"

"Yumi!"

The younger woman suddenly halted her rambling…stopped from desperately explaining her feelings, because for Sachiko, there was no need for her to do so…to say anything in her defence.

"You don't have to worry about it."

Truthfully, Sachiko was so envious of Yumi for having the courage to admit this to her. Then again, maybe her sister was not fully aware of its implications.

 _But what if...Yumi understood what it meant...to find being fed from to be very pleasurable?_

"I like _feeding_ from you too…" she slowly admitted.

Her sister's boldness was giving her a surge of confidence somehow. Sachiko had been at tipping point since earlier, and Yumi's admittance was the last straw, which made her blue eyes darken with desire.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 _to be continued_


	20. Red Roses (Part 2)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Red Roses (Part 2)**

\- - o 0 o - -

 **Sachiko**

"…I like it _very_ much." Sachiko said, her voice coming out unexpectedly lustrous. She brought down her face onto Yumi's waiting neck and nipped her favourite spot, making the younger woman swallow hard.

She slowly pulled away and said, "Do you hate it when I do that?"

But without waiting for a response (not that Yumi could say anything anyway), she licked the other side of her neck, from her collar bone (ever so slowly) up to her ear, taking in all of Yumi's raw undiluted smell and taste.

Yumi inhaled sharply.

' _You're not the only one who is good at playing these 'temptation games', Yumi.'_ Sachiko thought.

"Or this?"

She sucked hard on one spot, despite knowing that it would bruise and would surely earn them a lot of teasing when their friends would notice it the next day.

 _I don't care,_ Sachiko thought stubbornly.

"N-no…Sachiko…sama" Yumi said in between shaky breaths.

"No?" She questioned with a smirk, meeting the younger woman's dazed eyes.

"I-I don't hate it. I-"

 _I haven't paid you back for what happened the first time you boldly tempted me with your blood, Yumi, and I don't like to lose._

Sachiko leaned down again, kissing her delicate jaw before abruptly stopping.

"…please don't stop."

She smiled and did it again, but this time, she also snaked a hand, beneath Yumi's shirt to caress the younger woman's smooth back. And she found satisfaction at the way her beloved's body trembled under her touch.

Yumi shouldn't have offered her blood to Sachiko that night and she shouldn't have laid down on her bed looking so inviting. Her _sister_ should have pushed her away when she crawled on top of her and shouldn't have said those words that finally broke her control…because now, it was too late…

There was no way for the younger woman to know this…but no way for her stop to Sachiko either…and she was not planning too. Sachiko had been so drunk with desire that she did not realize Yumi's fear when she thought the older woman would decline her offer, after all, this may be her last chance to _feed_ her onee-sama.

Despite the older woman's pleasurable advances, Yumi was unable to stop her tears from falling as the dread of was is to come filled her heart.

Sachiko felt the wetness on her little sister's face and pulled herself up to look at her.

"What's wrong, Yumi?"

She too was unaware of her sister's inner struggle, so Sachiko thought that her advances were scaring Yumi.

But her sister just smiled up at her, "Nothing, onee-sama. I am just so happy to be here with you now, to be your imouto, to have remembered who you were in my life…"

"I am happy too, Yumi."

"I love you, onee-sama."

Yumi's heartfelt proclamation stunned Sachiko. She didn't know if Yumi loved her _that_ way or if it was just an innocent sisterly love.

"I love you too, Yumi." She tentatively said.

…and once again, it was as if they were out by the balcony, under the starry night sky. With Yumi's lips so dangerously close to her and those hazel brown eyes tempting her to cross the line…and Sachiko had been right to think that.

After Yumi's conversation with Eriko-sama earlier, she was slowly starting to realize what kind of love she holds for the older woman. She had been scared at first, at the thought that her affection for her own sister was more than what was _normal_. It was a new feeling for her, something that was beyond her understanding. She didn't know what it meant or what she needed to do about it. Telling Sachiko-sama was not an option of course, her onee-sama would be appalled.

Maybe that was why she disliked Suguru-san. Based on the memories that were slowly coming back to her, the man was Sachiko-sama's fiancé. After meeting Suguru-san and Yuuki, and after her conversations with Shizuka-sama and the headmistress, trickles of faces, names, events and occurrences were slowly coming back to her. But with it was the dread that she was truly _awakening_. That was why she needed to be injected with that serum…to halt it at least for a day, for her to settle her affairs and to have time to properly express her gratitude to her friends.

She looked up at her onee-sama. The blue orbs staring back at her were startlingly darker than she had remembered, and if she would have to guess, it as if they were searching for something…waiting for a sign.

"I love you, Yumi…" Sachiko-sama repeated. But her words were so tender, much more heartfelt, that Yumi considered being conceited…to think that it was the same _love_ she felt for her.

 _I'm going away anyway…_

Yumi inched closer.

Unknown to her, it was what Sachiko had been waiting for.

 _But I don't want her to hate me…I don't want to be hated by the person I love the most._

But before Yumi could pull back, the older woman claimed her lips.

Sachiko kissed Yumi with all the love and longing she had for the younger girl. They were young and inexperienced. These feelings that were too much for their hearts to handle and they didn't know what to do with it. At least that was the case for Yumi.

Sachiko momentarily pulled away. "Yumi?"

 _Is this okay, Yumi? To kiss you? To desire you more than that of a soeur._

"I love you, Sachiko-sama", the younger woman whispered again.

Upon getting the response she wanted, Sachiko leaned back down and pressed their lips together once more, longer this time…until she felt tears streaming down Yumi's face again.

She was about to pull back again, but Yumi's arms stopped her. Those small slender hands snaked itself around her back and laced through her black locks. Yumi angled her head and parted her lips, urging Sachiko to do the same.

 _Yumi…_

She obliged and deepened their kiss.

It was an amazing feeling, much more than the feel of Yumi's blood in her mouth. Yumi's wet lips and tongue were making her insides warm somehow, warmer and hotter than any of the many times she had _fed_ off of her.

Yumi moaned as Sachiko's hands freely roamed the younger woman's body. She had lifted Yumi's top at some point so she could touch her lover's flat abdomen, stopping just below her modest chest. Sachiko's hands then slid to her sides and onto her back, but their lips remained locked, kissing without thinking, tasting without inhibitions.

Sachiko broke the kiss and gasped for air. Yumi was breathing just as hard as her, but the passion in her hazel brown orbs remained to burn so bright that for a moment, just for a fraction of a second, she thought she saw them glow gold.

Yumi's lips were already swollen and her cheeks were flushed, but Sachiko wanted more.

"I want to kiss you again, Yumi."

"I am yours to take, Sachiko-sama…" came her bold reply.

So Sachiko dove again, crashed their lips into another passionate kiss. She nipped, sucked and bit her lover's lips but Yumi didn't complain, instead she moaned in pleasure, making Sachiko's insides go on a frenzy.

Yumi's hands caressed her arm, up to her shoulder, to her sides than onto her back. Sachiko was beginning to regret the fact that she wore a one piece dress, hating that she couldn't feel Yumi's bare hands on her skin.

' _Damn it',_ Sachiko cursed inwardly (and she almost never did), which was a clear sign of her frustration.

Sachiko's lips soon left Yumi's mouth. They travelled down the younger woman's jaw, down her neck and settling on one particular spot where she felt the blood flow to be the strongest. Her incisors involuntarily elongated once more, but instead of sinking her fangs into Yumi's neck, she decided to go further down.

Yumi opened her eyes for a second to see what she was doing, but her ministrations caused for the younger woman's eyes to close once more and for her to throw her head back as Sachiko's lips stopped onto Yumi's upper chest.

She had no intention of moving further down (at least not yet), because that would just be taking it too far considering they had just acknowledged their feelings for each other. So instead, Sachiko's lips stopped just above the younger woman's mounds. Using her fangs, she ran it onto her lover's skin, warning her of what is to come. Then not second later, she sank her fangs into Yumi's chest, making the younger woman gasp in surprise. She thought Yumi hated it, that she had been too bold for biting into that part of her body. But the younger woman just proceeded to caress her hair and even pulled her head down, urging her to continue with what she was doing. It was so sexy and elating for Sachiko that she proceeded to suck and feed on the blood that burst out of her lover's wound. She _drank_ slowly, making sure not to draw too hard. After all, Sachiko wanted to relish this experience for as long as she could.

After a mouthful, Sachiko retracted her fangs and kissed the wounds until the blood clotted. She then lifted herself up and gazed into Yumi's eyes.

"Can I please kiss you again, onee-sama?" her lover whispered.

Sachiko smiled. "I am all yours, Yumi. Of course you can." She said before leaning back down to abide by her lover's wishes. But at the same time, she ran her fingers on the soft skin of Yumi's inner thigh. Her beloved shuddered in pleasure at the contact and Sachiko knew where she wanted to bite next.

She left her lover's mouth again and crawled down, trailing sweet kisses along the way, until her mouth stopped on her beloved's inner thigh. Her lips had just brushed the area, and Yumi was already squirming and moaning in pleasure. It seemed to be a particularly sensitive part for her young lover.

Sachiko smiled mischievously before she sank her fangs into her skin for the second time that night. Yumi's body jerked, but she held her thigh in place as she dug her incisors even deeper to reach a vein. There was not a moment when Sachiko thought that Yumi hated what she was doing, because the younger woman's aroused scent was filling her senses, urging her to keep on doing what she was doing. Yumi's blood and scent was intoxicating, drugging her and clearing her mind of all coherent thoughts. But it seemed like it was the same for Yumi, because as she drew blood, Yumi's moans were getting louder and more erotic.

"O-onee-sama…"

Sachiko retracted her fangs once more and lick the wound clean of blood, before lifting herself to be at eye level with Yumi.

"Are you still okay?"

Yumi forced to open her eyes and met her gaze. "Of course onee-sama, you only had two mouthfuls of blood so far, surely, you can do better than that?" It was a challenge and one that Sachiko would not back down from.

They were both bolder tonight, dangerously braver.

She also bit Yumi's wrist, then onto her side, before finally going back up to her neck.

Yumi was heaving, breathing hard, but her eyes remained bright and full of fire, as if telling Sachiko that she wanted more.

"You're really enjoying this?" Sachiko confirmed, just before she _feed_ from her again. She knew she _drank_ enough already. She had been so lost in euphoria whenever her lover's blood touched her lips, burning her insides with passion more intensely and intimately than ever before.

 _Maybe because Yumi is not just my soeur now, but also my lover_. That thought made her insides warm, and her lips drew up to a smile.

"Yes, onee-sama. And I hope you are too."

"I am." And she claimed her lips again. Kissing her deeper, using her tongue to explore her mouth. She momentarily pulled away, "...very much so."

Her lips then travelled down again, trailing kisses down her jaw, nibbling her ear, tasting the soft skin of her upper neck before settling onto her favourite spot, where the blood flow was strongest.

"I love you, Sachiko-" She heard Yumi said one last time before she sank her fangs onto her lover's waiting neck.

Blood exploded in her mouth, coating her tongue, her teeth and her lips, filling her insides with a drug so intoxicating that her mind went blank, her senses numbed and all that mattered was Yumi, lying so close to her, pulling her closer still into an embrace. She drew ever so slowly, hoping to lengthen the pleasurable feeling that travelled down to her chest and into her core. Her center pulsed, a feeling she had never felt before, but a feeling she most definitely welcomed. It was elating and frustrating at the same time. A need, more than _feeding_ , that she wanted to be satisfied. But there was no way of Yumi knowing this and no way for the younger woman to know what to do.

She retracted her fangs. She had just crossed one boundary, and crossing another line, a more dangerous one, was something she was not yet ready for.

She looked down and saw that her lover was in a daze. Her eyes were glassy, her lips swollen, her face flushed and her exposed chest was rising and falling as she took deep breaths. Sachiko knew she _drank_ more than usual, but Yumi remained to be conscious, probably fighting her sleepiness.

Her beloved had indeed grown stronger these past few times she had _fed_ from her. While Sachiko, for her part, had learned to draw slower than before.

Sachiko lied down on Yumi's bed with their arms touching and gazed unseeing above. It was a few moments later when she felt the younger woman snake her arms over her upper abdomen and whispered, "would you like to sleep with me tonight, onee-sama?"

That was exactly what was on Sachiko's mind, to not go back to her room.

"Yes."

Yumi's hair remained to be tied by ribbons. They had forgotten to remove them earlier. But with all that happened, her hair and her pigtails were now in a disarray.

Sachiko reached up and slowly plucked one of the black laces out of her beloved's hair.

"Can I keep this?"

She had always thought about it, asking for one of Yumi's ribbons.

Yumi nodded her head, her eyes already closed. "Of course. But only that one, onee-sama. I will keep the other one, so that wherever we are, we will always be connected."

Sachiko's heart beat faster, Yumi's words felt somewhat ominous.

"I will not allow you to be apart from me, Yumi."

"I know." She whispered, and her voice was now laced with so much tiredness.

"If you understand that much, then promise me that you will never leave me."

"Hmmm"

"Yumi?"

Sachiko pulled away to look at her lover's face, but she was already asleep.

She sighed and pulled the younger woman in to an embrace. She was just being paranoid. There was no way Yumi would ever leave her, right? Especially not now that they were lovers.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **Yumi**

Yumi opened her eyes to the darkness of her room. She had been slumbering for a while, but her sleep was not as deep as it used to be because of the elating smell of the person beside her. The effect of the serum must be wearing off now.

She was currently trapped in her beloved's arms, embraced possessively as if her lover knew of her plan to leave. She stayed in that position for a while, relishing the feel of her gentle breath tickling her skin and of her beloved's warm skin against hers. Yumi even proceeded to gaze at her face, which despite the darkness, she was finding no trouble to see clearly. Sachiko-sama is so beautiful, the most beautiful person Yumi had ever lain her eyes on. And she knew that it will be this woman's face who will be in her dreams for the many nights to come that they will be apart.

Her lover's lips were partly open, as if inviting her to claim them again, to taste them again, just like what they did a few hours before. But she knew she couldn't...and she shouldn't, because of the risk of waking her up.

Until now, Yumi felt guilty for leaving her beloved, especially after everything that had happened to them that night.

However, knowing that she would be leaving, would it be better if Sachiko-sama hadn't know about her romantic feelings for her senior? Knowing that this _could_ be their last night together, should Yumi have pretended that she still saw Sachiko-sama only as a soeur and nothing more? Would it have been better if Yumi pushed her away when the older woman kissed her, instead of responding to her advances? Should Yumi have asked her to stop, instead of urging her to continue, when Sachiko-sama assaulted her body with sweet sensuous kisses and bites?

Yumi bit her trembling lip to stop herself from crying. She knew it would be hard when the time came for her to leave, but she didn't know that it would be this painfully difficult. Her heart was bleeding at the thought that this _could_ be the last time she would gaze at her beloved's beautiful face, that despite the hope she had gained, there was still a possibility that she would never see her again.

Yumi closed her eyes and forced herself to look away. With much difficulty, she then slowly disentangled herself from her beloved's embrace. Her body felt somewhat lighter, making her move more nimbly than she did before. She was thankful for it, because she seemed to have not awoken the other woman as she stood up from her bed.

Her feet soundlessly touched the carpeted floor, but she dared not to turn on the lights, instead she felt around for her slippers. After putting them on, she willed her feet to move, to take that one heavy step away from Sachiko-sama.

 _Please Maria-sama, help me..._

She reached up and pulled her other black ribbon, the _other half_ of the one that was now in Sachiko-sama's possession. She laced it in her hands and pulled it closer to her chest, and it was then when she decided to allow herself one last look at her beloved's sleeping form.

 _I'm so sorry, Sachiko-sama...I love you._

She then quickly turned away and took hurried steps towards the door, afraid that if she delayed her departure for another second, it would be more difficult (or probably impossible) for her to leave.

Tears were streaming down her face even before she stepped outside of her bedroom door. She was stopping herself from sobbing, from making any noise.

"Yumi ojou-sama." A soft voice called out to her.

It was Maya.

" _I have eyes and ears in this house…" the headmistress had said._

The other woman handed her a handkerchief and a small luggage. Since finding out that Maya was working directly for the headmistress earlier that morning, that she was pretending to be a clueless young maid, Yumi started seeing her in a different light. If she looked past Maya's small and fragile frame, she could just make out the slightly toned body and the strong unyielding eyes. Maya told her she had already awakened a few years ago, despite looking so young, and had trained with the headmistress specifically for the purpose of guarding Yumi when she moved to the manor.

She proceeded to wipe her tears. She stood up straighter, squared her shoulders and solidified her resolve, as if appearing braver would in effect make her feel braver and stronger somehow.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Maya-san." Yumi said.

 _Indeed, Maya had been looking out for me more than how I thought she had._

"I will look forward to seeing you again, Yumi ojou-sama."

"Me too. Has Shizuka-sama arrived?"

"Her car is parked outside the gate."

"Thank you."

And after one final curt bow, Yumi turned and walked down the familiar corridor. Its faint yellow light, casting an unusual glow on her now pale features. Her footsteps were also lighter than they used to, as she walked onto the wooden floor. But her chest was heavy as she carried the feelings of her friends, and most especially her onee-sama, in her heart.

She gripped the smooth dark wooden railing of the staircase and proceeded to go down the steps. Her eyes were glued to the wooden double doors that would take her outside of the place she called home for half a year. Despite the fact that her stay at the manor was brief, she had gathered a lot of memories she would surely cherish.

She soon reached the front door and stopped, she then turned to look to her left where the library door stood ajar. She smiled as she remembered her very first day at the manor. It was a rainy day and she had been so afraid to enter this seemingly haunted old house, but with her optimism that everything would be fine, she still went on to enter. Now, with her situation, she wished she could be that optimistic again. But those days seemed to be lifetimes away now. Who knew a lot could happen in a span of six months?

Yumi felt her tears welling up again, but before they fell, she proceeded to reach for the knob and open the door. But just after she stepped out...

"Yumi-chan."

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **Youko**

"Yumi-chan."

The younger woman stopped in her tracks.

Youko had been waiting since the _Society's_ car arrived outside their gate. The one guard she trusted had informed her about its arrival.

"Youko-sama."

"I am hurt, Yumi-chan. You said goodbye to everyone but me."

"I-I couldn't." And the younger woman indeed looked troubled, "I knew you would hint at it and…"

"-stop you?"

The younger girl nodded her head.

"You are very perceptive and I knew you would know instantly that something was happening. I was afraid you'd stop me like before…and when you did, I am afraid that I would have opted not to leave. You are quite persuasive."

"You think too highly of me, Yumi-chan."

"I left you a letter in your shoe locker at Lillian." Yumi-chan offered.

"I cannot say I am looking forward to reading that letter."

Fukuzawa Yumi-chan is her imouto's beloved sister. But Youko knew, that what her imouto felt for this young brunette was something more than that of a soeur's. She didn't confront Sachiko about it, and there was no need for her to do so because surely, her sister had realized it herself. It was only Yumi-chan who remained to be oblivious of Sachiko's ever growing love for her.

"The headmistress told me," Youko started, "about you and _what_ you are."

"I'm sorry." The girl bowed her head in sincere apology.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I could have-"

"But you didn't. And I am sure that Sei, Shimako, Eriko and most especially Sachiko would never feel like you were a threat to us. We are strong too, you know, so you don't have to worry about _killing_ any of us. You should have seen when Sei was angry and devastated, you wouldn't believe how strong she was."

Youko didn't elaborate further. It had been at the time Kubo Shiori left the manor…and left Sei.

Her brows furrowed, the thought of Kubo Shiori still angers her somehow.

"Thank you, Youko-sama. You are here now, so I will take this chance to thank you for everything you have done for me. You were the one who saved me on my first day."

"From whom? From Sachiko? From Sei?" Youko smiled at the memory. "Sachiko had no intention of killing you or hurting you more than just for a few bruises on your wrist. Sei, on the other hand, just wanted to feed from you. While I strangled you and had been so close to killing you then. I am not sure I deserve your gratitude."

And as if echoing her earlier words, "But you didn't. You stopped when Sachiko-sama asked you to."

Youko regarded the younger woman, "I wanted to stop you now too, you know. I reasoned with the headmistress yesterday, begged her to give me, give you, another option, just so you could stay with us. I think the _Society's_ being too cautious. I don't think you're all that dangerous, Yumi-chan."

"They have every right to be cautious. They haven't seen an _awakened_ adult pure-blood before."

"Sachiko will be distraught."

Again, the girl nodded, "I know I don't have to ask, but please help her understand."

"No words will ever make her understand, Yumi-chan. I may be her onee-sama, but you hold a deeper place in her heart. And to tell you the truth, even I don't totally agree with the headmistress' decision."

"At first, I was so afraid that I wished someone just killed me when I _re-awakened_ three years ago. I had agonized over the fact that I could have _killed_ any of you. But with everyone giving me strength, with onee-sama's love, I will try harder. I will do my best to survive what is to come and come back."

"Then I will be looking forward to that. I hope to see you again soon, Yumi-chan." Youko said and spread her arms open.

Yumi took her invitation, went into her arms and gave her a warm embrace.

"Thank you again, Youko-sama." The girl said and pulled away, "Goodbye."

Youko shook her head. "Not 'goodbye'…but 'until we meet again'."

Yumi smiled, a smile that was filled with hope. "Yes, until we meet again."

"Sachiko will not be looking for another soeur, and after Sachiko, I will not allow anyone else to be Rosa Chinensis."

"Yes, Youko-sama, I will try to come back and be Rosa Chinensis."

A black sedan pulled over just in front of them. Apparently, Maya had informed the guards to let the car in earlier.

The chauffeur opened the door for her and waited for Yumi to enter.

Yumi-chan then bowed down low one last time, before entering the car and sitting in the back seat.

And that sad smile on her friend's usually cheerful face was the last Youko saw, before the car left.

 _Until we meet again…Yumi-chan._

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **Sachiko**

Sachiko was dreaming. It was rare for her to dream these past few months, or at least, to dream dreams that she would remember.

 _She and Yumi were at Lillian, by the gingko-line tree path and right in front of Maria-sama. They were talking about the time when they were younger, the times that she thought her most valuable person would never remember, when Yumi suddenly said, "How about we play a game, onee-sama?"_

 _"Game? It's not similar to the games you play with Rosa Gigantae, right?"_

 _Yumi laughed and Sachiko couldn't help but smile. Yumi's laugh was contagious._

 _"No, onee-sama. It's a simple game of 'hide and seek', similar to the one we played when we were kids."_

 _Sachiko raised her eyebrows. "Hide and seek?"_

 _"Surely, you know the rules of the game, onee-sama."_

 _"Of course I know that much. But why that game?"_

 _"Why onee-sama, aren't you confident enough that you'll find me?"_

 _"Of course, I can find you wherever you are!" Sachiko proudly said. There were a few things that she can say with this much confidence, but finding Yumi, wherever she will be hiding, is something she surely could do. They have an unbreakable bond, and she was sure she'd 'sense' Yumi, even if she cannot see her._

 _"It's just that, it is such a childish game, Yumi."_

 _"Just this once, onee-sama, will it be okay for you to indulge me?" Yumi then smiled at her and leaned forward, her hazel brown eyes so exceptionally larger and pleading that Sachiko couldn't help by eventually cave in._

 _"Fine. But just a few rounds. I want to go back to the manor soon. It's getting late."_

 _Yumi beamed and for a moment, she was glad to have caused that wonderful smile on her little sister's face._

 _"Okay onee-sama, close your eyes and count to ten."_

 _Sachiko nodded her head and faced the other way. And as she turned, she caught a glimpse of her little sister's brown eyes that always held an adoring look whenever she looks at her, her kind and gentle face, and her lips that were always drawn up to a smile._

 _She was now facing Maria-sama, and before she closed her eyes, she uttered a silent prayer, "Maria-sama, I hope these peaceful happy days with Yumi never ends."_

 _She then started counting to ten as Yumi's footsteps grew fainter behind her._

 ** _One…_**

 _Yumi, just that morning, was holding her hand the whole time they rode from the manor going to Lillian. Sachiko gave her a questioning look before looking down at their joined hands, but her little sister just smiled at her. And i_ _t seemed like Yumi was not satisfied with just holding her hand, because her imouto then moved closer to rest her head on her shoulder. Sachiko liked being this close to her anyway, so she was not one to complain._

 ** _Two…_**

 _They were in the rose manor, Yumi was standing by the small sink, making tea with Shimako, when suddenly Yumi took hold of the other girl's hand and pulled it closer to her chest. For a moment, Sachiko had wanted to stand up and interrupt them, to pull Yumi's hand away from holding the other girl's, but for whatever reason, she chose not to. Probably because she finally accepted the fact that for Yumi, Shimako was just a friend and nothing more._ _But still, Sachiko had to make sure to keep an eye on Shimako because somehow, she feels like the young white rose holds deeper feelings for her Yumi._

 ** _Three…_**

 _As soon as the bell rang, signalling the end of classes that Saturday noon, she went to Yumi's classroom so they could walk to the rose mansion together. But to her dismay, the girl's classmates said that Yumi had already left. So she went straight to the rose mansion, thinking that she would find her beloved sister in the second floor meeting room already making tea. To her surprise, she saw Yumi walking with Rei and they seemed to be having a wonderful conversation. But just before they entered the front door, Rei suddenly stopped and their conversation seemed to have become more serious. Yumi's back was to her, so she didn't see the expression on her face. It was only when Sachiko saw a startled look on her fellow bouton's face, apparently due to something Yumi had said, that she decided to hasten her steps and to approach them._

 ** _Four…_**

 _Rosa Gigantae was late for their meeting. Her onee-sama asked Yumi to look for her, and her little sister was more than happy to oblige. She felt a twinge of irritation, 'why is Yumi always happy when she's around Sei-sama?' She possessively thought. 'She is **my** petite soeur.'_

 ** _Five…_**

 _Sachiko had wanted to walk with Yumi to the car, but because there were some things that had to discuss about the upcoming school festival, she didn't have a choice but to walk with her fellow boutons. So she left Yumi with Yoshino-chan to clean up the meeting room._

 ** _Six…_**

 _As Yumi suggested, they watched a movie that afternoon. And just like before, Yumi was snuggling so close to her, with her head on her shoulder and their hands intertwined. The only moment they separated was when her little sister went to get some popcorn in the kitchen with Eriko-sama. It took some time for them to get back, which got her curious, but never asked about it anyway._

 ** _Seven…_**

 _Her onee-sama suggested that they practiced a bit of dancing in preparation for their play. She immediately grabbed her sister for a partner, just a few seconds before Sei-sama reached to grab Yumi's other hand. She taught Yumi how to dance the waltz. And despite Yumi's awkwardness, for not knowing how to dance, Sachiko still found dancing with her to be quite enjoyable. In her mind, she was considering going to the Christmas ball that December, the same one she decided not to go the previous year. Because this time, Yumi would be with her._

 ** _Eight…_**

 _Yumi was holding her arm, gazing at the garden of red roses, bathed under the bright moonlight. She would surely commit that moment to memory._

 ** _Nine…_**

 _Yumi was lying beneath her, looking up at her with those loving brown eyes. They had just admitted that they love each other, and she knew…finally…that Yumi loves her the same way that she did her._

 ** _Ten…_**

 _As she finished counting, she felt a tinge of nervousness as her earlier confidence of easily finding Yumi was gone for some reason. So she hurriedly opened her eyes and turned to look down at the gingko-tree lined path that she started to like, (despite hating Gingko trees) because of the countless times she walked down that pathway with her beloved seour. She scanned the area with her heart hammering wildly against her chest…she held her breath and looked around once more...but Yumi was nowhere in sight. Sachiko started to panic._

 _…_

Sachiko sat bolt right up, ignoring the pounding in her head at her sudden movement.

The room she was in, her beloved Yumi's room, as expected, was bathed in darkness. And just like in her dream, her heartbeat continue to beat loudly as she willed her eyes to sharpen, effectively making them glow. She felt around the bed, scanned the room and willed her senses to sharpen to search for her scent or for any sign that her beloved was just nearby.

Her heartbeat sped up still, now thundering against her ribcage. Blood was pounding loudly against her ears and her hands felt cold and clammy. It was not long after when tears started spilling out her eyes, cascading down her cheeks and down onto the red mattress that they'd just shared not so long ago. Her body trembled as soft uncontrolled sobs escaped her lips and she brought her hand to cover it to muffle the sound. She closed her other fist to grip the fabric where Yumi had lain just before she closed her eyes that night…after she promised that she would never leave her.

 _Wait…did Yumi promise me?_

 _No…she didn't..._

Her shoulders shook violently as the downpour of tears increased and she was unable to stop herself from screaming her name again and again…hoping for that small possibility that her beloved could hear her and get out of wherever she was hiding. She wept unabashedly like a child, wishing that her crying would lessen the pain as her heart tear into pieces and her mind plunged into chaos.

She should have ran outside, searched every room, and turned over every bed just to find her.

But she knew it was no use.

She couldn't _feel_ her…couldn't _sense_ her...

Because somehow she knew that…

…Yumi was already gone.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 **A/N:** It is "the end" _for now_. But, there will be an epilogue **,** which I am considering calling a chapter instead, because again, it turned out longer than I had originally planned. Also, making the next one into a full chapter may mean I can write more and continue with this story, but nothing's final yet as of now.

Anyway, the final part (whether I chose to call it a 'chapter' or an 'epilogue') will be posted soon. As always, your thoughts on the story is welcomed and much appreciated (but no flames please, I wish to keep my good spirits that could possibly urge me to keep on writing).

Thank you for reading and I hope you liked the story. 'Blood' had been my longest story so far and had been a wonderful journey for me. This is the fic that I had been writing to satisfy my own curiosity, if I could effectively create an alternate universe for Yumi and Sachiko to live in. There are some parts which have been 'inspired' by the original anime and/or light novels, with a little twist to blend into _Blood_ 's universe of course.

Gokigenyou! _Magandang Gabi._


	21. Epilogue: Pure Blood

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters. Credits to Konno Oyuki-sensei.

 **A/N:** I think this is the best opportunity for me to thank **Imoshen88** , who continuously supported me and lent me a hand in this story. She not only did Beta Review, but also provided insightful feedbacks, which made the 'Blood' (at least in my opinion) a truly great story that I personally enjoyed.

So without further ado, here is the last installment of 'Blood'.

* * *

 **Epilogue: Pure Blood**

\- - o 0 o - -

 **Yumi**

Yumi gazed up unseeingly at the high ceiling of the place that had been her home for the past week. With the absence of any windows or any other openings, with the countless CCTV cameras on the wall, and with the two men standing guard at the lone door, it felt more like a prison. The room was almost bare, except for the simple bed where she was currently lying spread eagled and with both her arms and legs bound by shackles which were attached to thick chains, the ends of which were buried deep into the thick metal floor. She also has a small table and chair to be used for eating _normal human food_ , but it had been left unused because for the past two days, her body had refused to accept anything, and because since that morning, she had been bound in chains.

Yumi closed her eyes and bit her lip hard as the pain she was feeling intensified. She was somewhat used to it by now, or at least, she had stopped fainting whenever her body was assaulted by a wave of pain. It was accompanied by countless memories rushing into her head, but at the moment, she was too worn-out to appreciate them.

She had grown so tired of crying that she felt her tearducts had gone dry. Her throat also felt raw with the countless times she screamed whenever the pain became too unbearable.

She had been so close to giving up…had been so close to begging for them to just kill her and end her suffering….but she didn't.

There were brief moments when the pain would subside and that was when her thoughts would drift back to her friends and to her onee-sama. It had kept that glimmer of hope alive in her heart…had given her strength whenever she was about to attempt to bite her tongue off just so she could end it all. In those brief seconds of reprieve, she would close her eyes and imagine those beautiful blue eyes gazing lovingly at her…waiting for her to come back.

 _'Wait for me onee-sama…'_

She lifted her bound hand and flexed her taut fingers. She was skin and bones, she felt weak and exhausted. If she remained like this for one more day day, she felt like she'd die. Surely, there was a limit as to how much her body could take.

Another jolt of pain assaulted her body and she jerked and thrashed around, the shackles effectively limiting her movements, and the sound of the chains attached to it reverberating across the four walls of the room. But this time, she was unable to stop herself from screaming as the pain became so excruciating that she was momentarily blinded and she felt her consciousness slipping away. She kicked hard and willed herself to remain awake. She imagined her onee-sama's voice calling out to her, giving her strength. For the past few hours, it had been effective in keeping her from slipping into that darkness that had been threatening to claim her since the morning.

"Don't fight it." A voice from a speaker said. "You are only delaying the inevitable."

Yumi continued thrashing around, ignoring that voice whom she recognized belonged to Dr. Kanina, Shizuka-sama's mother.

She screamed again, she shrieked so loud that it felt as if her throat was already bleeding.

 _'Onee-sama…'_

Tears streamed down her face as she tilted her head back and arched her back.

 _'Maria-sama, please…'_

After one last plea...

 _'Sachiko-sama...'_

...Yumi's eyes rolled at the back of her head, and her body slumped back into the bed, lifeless.

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 _Dear Onee-sama,_

 _I just arrived last night here at the Main Institute and I am already missing you._

 _After asking for a few dozen times, they finally allowed me to write a letter. I haven't considered writing one before because honestly, I didn't know what to say. Also, I knew I would never be able to complete one without breaking down and crying. But I just can't continue every day with this guilt in my chest, so more than anything, this is a letter of apology._

 _I am sorry for not saying anything, onee-sama. By the time you read this letter, you may have_ _already_ _heard the reason for my actions, and my sincerest hope is that you understand why I had to go without telling you. It may be conceited of me to think, but I knew you'd stop me and I knew that if you did, the resolve I had solidified would waver and break so that in the end, I may have chosen to stay and to be with you despite knowing the risks. Should I have known about what I really am sooner, I would have left earlier. So I guess I should still thank Maria-sama that I got to be with you and with everyone for a whole term and throughout the summer holidays._

 _I wanted to stay longer, but the serum that the Society gave me would only get me through the day. I had it injected to me after we got back from Hanadera, and that was the reason why I was asleep until the next day and wasn't by your side while you were ill. Again, that was one thing I would like to apologize for._

 _I am sorry for not remembering all the memories that we shared together until before I left. But I was promised that_ _ **if**_ _I get through all this, I will have all of my memories back. But I also know that it is not a guarantee that I will be the same person whom you met and grew up with and became soeurs with. I am scared, but I will try to be strong, for you and for all of our friends. You are my reason for wanting to live, for wanting to survive. So please, try to be strong too. You are a beautiful person inside and out, onee-sama, and I am glad to be one of the people who got to see that sincere, loving and thoughtful side of you. It may be selfish of me to say this, but I wouldn't want to share you with anyone else, not even with your fiancé, Kashiwagi Suguru-san, but I guess I don't have the right to demand anything since I am not with you right now._

 _I am not sure if I will be able to write again, but I am looking forward to the next time we'll meet._

 _I love you, Sachiko-sama. I will always think of all the good memories we had, just so those memories will not be erased from my heart and my soul. Because my mind can forget, but I know that my heart will not._

 _So as Youko-sama had said before I left, I will not bid you farewell, instead I will say…until we meet again, onee-sama._

 _Yours forever,_

 _Yumi_

* * *

\- - o 0 o - -

 **Yuichiro**

The girl was placed in a fully secured room. There were no windows and the lone door leading in and out of the room was at least a foot thick and made of strong steel. A make-shift bathroom was situated at the far corner of the room. The walls were made of a similar material, but were covered by a layer of foam and deep red velvet fabric. High up on one side of the wall was a one-way mirror, concealing a room where only a handful of people were allowed to enter.

Fukuzawa Yuichiro didn't like it, for his daughter to be put on display like this, for Yumi-chan to be imprisoned like this. But he didn't have a choice. Fighting to let her live and to be given a chance to _re-awaken_ had been such a challenge already. Most of the council members were on his side, but there were still a few who chose to stick to the old ways. His friend, Ogasawara Tooru had been a great help. The man had followed in his father's footsteps, after the old Ogasawara's death a year ago and agreed to take up a position in the _Society's_ council. Tooru was never really interested in politics, much like him, but both knew that they needed to do it for their families and to be able to lead the long overdue change needed for the _Society_ to persist in this day and age. Add to that, his friend had wanted to support him, for which he was grateful for.

Giving his daughter a chance to live and to _re-awaken_ was amongst those changes. For centuries, pure bloods were killed the moment they were born. The radical idea of letting them live was started a hundred years ago, when the head council member's wife bore a pure blood. He commissioned the invention of the serum, aimed to suppress the child's nature. The plan was to stop administering it once the child reached the age of sixteen, the normal age for them to _awaken._ But due to the complexity of the task, the scientists weren't able to make it in time. The council, including the child's father, were forced to order the child's death because almost all of the house staff had been killed by the two-year old. Records showed how they were able to keep him alive for that long. But those same files were proof of how many lives were lost in exchange for giving the boy two years to live.

But Yuichiro was somewhat confident that his daughter would not _re-awaken_ to be that violent. After all, she is no longer a child with no control. Once her _thirst_ was satisfied, he was sure she'd be a normal _infected._

Another pure blooded vampire was born fifty years later. It was the younger sister of the current headmistress of Lillian. It was a chance to test the serum. It had been effective at first and the child became normal upon injecting it. But it had been imperfect, because it resulted to the child's death a year later. So Yuichiro fully understood why the headmistress despised the council. Because it had been the old council members who ordered for the child to be taken and used as an experimental tool, which eventually led to the baby's death.

At first, when Yuichiro read the files, he was ashamed to admit to not have felt an ounce of pity for those children. And just like the other members of the _Society_ , he thought that the old council members made the right decision. After all, those children were a threat not only to their secrecy, but to their lives. But when it happened to him, needless to say that his views changed. The moment he realized that his first born was a 'pure blood', he knew they had to hide her. He was friends with the best scientists of the main Institute, the Kobayashi's. Consequently, the Kobayashi's were also the couple who were in charge of improving the existing serum. Of course the couple agreed to help him in secret, it was their chance to finally test the fruits of their years of research.

The Kobayashi's resigned from their jobs and took Yumi away to a place where they thought they wouldn't be followed. Yuichiro and Miki received updates on the child's progress regularly and they got to see her every month. They even brought Yuuki with them so he got to play with his sister. As agreed, Yumi would bear the name 'Fukuzawa', because when she reached the age of sixteen, the plan was for the couple to give her back to her biological parents and for her to be introduced to the _Society_ as a daughter of the Fukuzawa house. He was sure that even though she was a 'pure blood', if the council saw that she was harmless, they would surely let her live.

However, when she was five, the scientists had informed them that the child had died due to overdose of the serum. Miki was distraught and sank into depression, and so did Yuichiro. They even saw the lifeless body of young Yumi. But since he was the head of the family, he knew he had to remain strong despite the inexplicable pain he was feeling. It was only years later when he found out that the scientists lied to them. According to the man's explanation, they heard news that the council found out about the Fukuzawa child's existence and had ordered to have her killed. The scientists knew that it would not be long before they found her because of the Fukuzawas' frequent visits. So they had to make them believe that she died. The couple moved to a different place soon after and were not seen again.

Despite knowing all this, a part of Yuichiro still hated the Kobayashi's. But as his wife had said, they did it for their daughter's sake, whom the scientists had also learned to love.

And now, looking down at the dark room where his daughter was currently unconscious, he still found it surreal. He hadn't even had the chance embraced her, because the moment she arrived, she was escorted to the room below. For a whole week, stimulus after stimulus have been given to her so that she would forcefully _awaken_. They expected that it would happen sooner or later. Six months had passed since she was last injected by the serum, except for the one dose given to her by Shizuka-chan. So surely, she would awaken anytime now. According to the staffs' records, her headache and nausea had been persistent day after day. They also noticed that her stomach stopped accepting any form of food because she refused to eat anything for the past days. That was why he, Tooru and the other council members were invited to see her _awaken_ this day.

A low growl was heard in the room below and this snapped him back to attention. It was not long after when he saw a pair of golden irises glowed. He didn't need to will his vision to sharpen, because despite the distance and dimness of the room below, he could clearly see those golden eyes. The two muscular guards exited the room in a rush as a frightening violent scream, not sounding like it belonged to a young girl, was heard.

Yuichiro turned away from the viewing window and turned to look at the CCTV monitors, which had a clearer view of what was happening below. He broke into cold sweat as he saw up close the young girl that was his daughter, lying on a bed with both her arms and legs shackled. It held her in place as her body convulsed violently and she kept on screaming as if her body was on fire and as if she was in so much pain. Yuichiro was thankful that he didn't bring his wife to witness their daughter's _awakening_ , because he himself didn't know if he should feel fear or pity at what he was seeing.

The girl continued thrashing around, as the whites of her eyes turned blood red. And from those menacing looking eyes, what seemed to be blood crept into the now visible veins of her pale face, down to her outstretched neck. The bright red blood continued snaking into the bulging veins of her chest and shoulders, then into the webbed veins of her arms and into her fingertips, before proceeding down to her legs until it reached her curled toes. The young girl's skin was so pale, almost opaque, that Yuichiro could clearly see as the redness slowly dissipated, her 'pure blood' seeping into her system and no doubt inducing her _awakening_. At that moment, she looked like a porcelain doll, whose broken pieces were patched up and glued together by the red material that was her 'pure blood'.

Through the whiteness of her skin, he could see the web of veins ever so slowly turning back to their normal greenish colour. However, they remained to be so impossibly visible that she looked almost inhuman.

Then not a second later, her nails sharpened and her hands bent and twisted, turning out to look more like claws than hands. Through her open screaming mouth, Yuichiro could see her upper and lower incisors elongating into long pointed fangs, longer and more deadly-looking than Yuichiro had ever seen.

She continued trashing around, destroying anything her sharp claws could reach. Her body jerked so violently for the last time (making one female council member scream), before the girl stopped moving and her body collapsed back onto the bed, unmoving.

At the absence of the girl's inhuman shrieks, the whole room was enveloped in deafening silence.

For a moment, Yuichiro's heart stopped...as fear crept into his heart.

"Is she dead?" One of the older council members whispered.

The question was left hanging in the air as everyone continued to watch what was going to happen next.

' _No.'_

Seconds ticked by in silence.

 _'No, No, this can't be happening'_

It seemed like no one was moving nor breathing.

Yuichiro's clenched and unclenched his fist as he waited in anticipation…

' _Wake up, Yumi-chan.'_

From his peripheral vision, he could see the concerned look Tooru was giving him, but he ignored him.

 _Gods, please…_

Until…

Through the speaker, they heard her draw a long shaky breath. The sound echoed so loudly in the quiet room, that for a moment, Yuichiro thought that the whole room below them was alive and it was the one breathing, instead of the girl.

Yuichiro leaned closer and he watched the girl drew another shaky breath. It was followed by another, then another, until her chest continued to rise and fall as she continued to fill her lungs with air.

Yuichiro finally released the breath he didn't know he was holding for gods-knows how long. He didn't even know how long he stood transfixed at the screens in front of him as he watched the girl's ragged breaths eventually calm down. The girl's bluish-green veins remained visible through her white skin, an obvious sign of her _hunger_.

The scientists who had stopped to watch earlier, were now typing away on their laptops, undoubtedly recording their observations, which would be verified when they watch the video again of his daughter's _awakening_.

And just when he thought it was over...

The one-way mirror fogged as the temperature suddenly plummeted.

The girl slowly lifted herself up from the bed and through the monitors, looked straight at them as if she knew she was being watched. Her movements were unbelievably refined and subtle. As he gazed at her, Yuichiro couldn't believe it that despite her frighteningly long fangs, her gold and red eyes, and her threatening claws, the girl looked…

"Just like what the books said about the first pure blood…" One of the scientists commented.

The very first _infected_ was a result of an unknown disease that spread centuries ago. A cure was never found and it caused thousands of deaths, which eradicated the population of numerous towns and cities. Nobody knew how the plague stopped, but by the time it did, half of a continent's population had died.

 _Society_ history books claimed, that among those who had contracted the disease, there was one person who survived and it was because his body…his blood…had found a way to preserve him. Instead of dispelling the virus, his genes mutated and absorbed that virus as a part of his DNA and made it a part of him. But in exchange, he had to consume the blood of other humans.

The girl below proceeded to lift her arm and looked at her shackles. She smiled amusingly as she shook her hand, making the chains clang. She then flicked her wrist and the chains quickly broke, making Yuichiro jump in surprise as the sound of heavy metal chains falling to the ground resounded into the room. He exchanged nervous glances with Tooru, before walking back to look out the viewing window.

The girl continued to free herself from the remaining shackles that were supposed to restrain her. Everyone in the room watched in silence, forgetting that they should be considering using their 'Plan B', should the 'pure blood' starts becoming violent. But with the young girl's fluid and gentle movements, it would seem like she would do them no harm.

She then proceeded to lift herself up. During her _awakening_ , she seemed to have clawed at her own clothes, so her body was partially exposed. But despite her state of 'semi-undress', she still unabashedly stood up, flexed her neck and arched her back. She even stretched her arms and legs, as if she was feeling them for the first time.

She was no longer skin and bones, and some of the sensitive parts of her of her upper body were visible as she stretched her limbs, making so that Yuichiro had wanted to switch off the monitors that were showing his daughter's body so explicitly.

In the veil of semi-darkness, she looked so beautiful, alluring even, that Yuichiro couldn't believe his eyes. The books said that the first _infected_ only fed at night, because it effectively hid his fangs and his sharp claws. It gave rise to the idea that people like them, whom years later were referred to as _vampires_ , were afraid of sunlight. But in the veil of darkness, with the first _vampire's_ opaque skin and sharp features, he looked very alluring, effectively making it easier for him to lure in victims he could _feed_ on. It made him a natural hunter who easily seduces his prey to give themselves willingly for him to _drain._

None of the _Society_ books had information as to how their race proliferated or how the first vampire procreated. But what they knew was, because the 'pure blood' of the first vampire had been diluted by human blood, their nature had somehow changed and made them more human-like.

The girl stared up at them and smiled again, definitely a sign that she _felt_ she was being watched. She then started sauntering towards the side of the room where the viewing window was located.

Tooru touched his shoulder to get his attention, "we should do it now", he said in a low voice.

He knew his friend was referring to _that_ option, an option which Yuichiro didn't want to resort to.

The girl reached the edge of the wall. She gazed up, before she bent her knees and jumped up impossibly high towards the glass that separated her from her captors. She was airborne for a moment and it was then that she met Yuichiro's eyes.

She dug the sharp claws of her hands and feet into the glass, making her cling to the glass. The glass she touched froze, making it brittle and easy to break.

At this distance, Yuichiro could see through his daughter's eyes that she was not herself, that darkness had overcome her rational side, making her more animal-like than human. But he still believed, the sooner the girl's _thirst_ was satisfied, the sooner she'd be back to normal. That was probably why she jumped up here, because she sensed food was just on the other side of the glass.

She smiled menacingly at them and gazed directly into Yuichiro's eyes once more. She pulled one hand away, and was about to pound against the thick glass that was protecting them from a very _thirsty_ creature. He knew that the moment her claws hit the glass, it would shatter into pieces.

Tooru must have realized that to, because at that moment, a shot of blue light hit the girl. For a fraction of a second, her body froze (and so did Yuichiro's heart) before her claws loosened its hold and she fell down into the metal floor far far below.

She thrashed as another shot of electricity hit her body. They did it again and again, until the pure blood finally lost consciousness.

Yuichiro was in shock. His daughter had just been electrocuted right before his eyes. He ran towards the glass, leaned forward and gazed down. He willed his eyes to sharpen, to see through the darkness so that he could see if the young girl was still alive.

"She's still alive, sir." Kanina-san said.

Yuichiro reluctantly tore his gaze away from the room below and faced the head scientist.

"She's still alive." The woman repeated. "She's just unconscious. We'll feed her as soon as she wakes up."

It was then when the phone in his pocket vibrated. With still trembling hands, he reached in and upon seeing who the caller was, pressed the answer button.

" _How is she?"_

"Miki-san..." Yuichiro turned to look again at the room below, which seemed to have gotten colder and darker. "...Yumi-chan has _re-awakened_."

\- - o 0 o - -

* * *

 _ **Pure Blood**_

* * *

 **THE END**

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I finally made up my mind and decided to make this Epilogue. Not that there is much a difference anyway, since this remains to be the last chapter (sorry about that, for the few who didn't want it to end just yet). But if any of you are interested, I am contemplating on writing a Sequel or a continuation. Nothing's final yet as of now, but I do have some drafts which I am still thinking about if I want to post. I have been resting for a bit since I have been updating 'Blood' so fast, at least twice or thrice a week I think. And once I start posting a story, I make it a point to stay committed until I finish it, hence, my hesitance to start with another 'commitment' so soon.

Anyway, I would like to thank those who stuck with me until the end and those who were gracious enough to post 'reviews' and/or favorite me and/or my stories. Not sure if you already realized, but reviews do keep authors motivated and committed to the story. As for me, I am thankful to have another motivation for writing 'Blood', which was my love for this story. I really really enjoyed writing it.

Good day to you all! ^^

 **Beta note:** And as such another story comes to an end, this one perhaps more ominous than the rest. First of all I'd like to thank Teacher Yumi for yet again allowing me to work with her on her stories, you all have no idea how much work she puts into it. Secondly, a big thank you to all the readers, who I truly hoped have enjoyed this story as much as I know both I and Teacher Yumi have. Please do leave a review and share your thoughts on the story. Whether there'll be a continuation remains to be seen, but if there is, I hope to have all of you back with us for that as well.


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